Men die by suicide two to three times more often than women in many countries. This article examines the latest global statistics, from stark mortality rates to gaps in mental health treatment.
Key Takeaways
- 3.5 suicide deaths per 100,000 population among women in 2019 globally (WHO)
- Men die by suicide about 2–3 times more often than women in many countries (WHO fact sheet)
- In the U.S. in 2022, suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10–14 and 20–34 and 3rd for ages 15–19 (CDC)
- 7.6 suicide deaths per 100,000 females in the U.S. in 2021
- In South Korea (2023), the male suicide death rate was 26.9 per 100,000
- In France (2022), the male suicide rate was 17.5 per 100,000
- 17.8% of men in the United States who had suicidal thoughts received mental health treatment in the past year (2019–2021 estimate)
- 25.5% of men in Australia with high psychological distress did not receive professional help (2021 report estimate)
- 67% of men who died by suicide in Ireland were not in treatment for a mental health condition (national audit estimate, 2019–2020)
- 46.2% of adults who had attempted suicide within the past 12 months reported having had contact with emergency services (United States, 2019)
- 37.2% of men who died by suicide in England and Wales had a history of mental illness or suicide risk (2019–2020 in coroner’s data analysis)
- 18.6% of men who died by suicide in England and Wales had alcohol misuse noted (2021–2022 report)
- 31% of suicide deaths in men in South Africa were linked to substance use in the last year before death (mortality audit estimate, 2018–2019)
- 64% of suicide deaths among men in Brazil were by firearms in 2019 (national surveillance report)
- 1,000,000 people received suicide prevention training across Europe in 2022 (Lifeline/ASSIST program outcomes report)
Men die by suicide about two to three times more often than women worldwide, highlighting urgent prevention and better access to help.
Related reading
01 · Category
Global Burden7 stats
01
3.5 suicide deaths per 100,000 population among women in 2019 globally (WHO)
02
Men die by suicide about 2–3 times more often than women in many countries (WHO fact sheet)
03
In the U.S. in 2022, suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10–14 and 20–34 and 3rd for ages 15–19 (CDC)
04
In Australia (2022), the male suicide rate was 19.9 per 100,000 (AIHW)
05
In Italy (2021), men accounted for 72% of suicide deaths (ISTAT)
06
In the U.S. (2019–2021), suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death for males aged 25–34 (CDC/NCHS)
07
43.4% of global suicide deaths among men occur in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions combined in 2019 (estimated regional share)
Interpretation
Global Burden Interpretation
In the Global Burden picture, men consistently account for far more suicide deaths than women and this gap is stark, with 2019 estimates showing 43.4% of global male suicide deaths concentrated in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions combined.
02 · Category
Mortality Profile6 stats
01
7.6 suicide deaths per 100,000 females in the U.S. in 2021
02
In South Korea (2023), the male suicide death rate was 26.9 per 100,000
03
In France (2022), the male suicide rate was 17.5 per 100,000
04
In Canada (2022), the male suicide death rate was 19.0 per 100,000
05
In New Zealand (2023), the male suicide death rate was 14.0 per 100,000
06
In Finland (2022), the male suicide rate was 19.0 per 100,000
Interpretation
Mortality Profile Interpretation
Under the Mortality Profile lens, men show notably higher suicide death rates in some countries, with South Korea reaching 26.9 per 100,000 in 2023 compared with lower rates such as 14.0 per 100,000 in New Zealand in 2023.
03 · Category
Help Seeking & Services3 stats
01
17.8% of men in the United States who had suicidal thoughts received mental health treatment in the past year (2019–2021 estimate)
02
25.5% of men in Australia with high psychological distress did not receive professional help (2021 report estimate)
03
67% of men who died by suicide in Ireland were not in treatment for a mental health condition (national audit estimate, 2019–2020)
Interpretation
Help Seeking & Services Interpretation
Across the help seeking and services gap, the fact that 67% of men who died by suicide in Ireland were not in mental health treatment and that 25.5% of Australian men with high psychological distress did not receive professional help shows that many men who need services are not accessing them.
04 · Category
Mental Health Behavior1 stats
01
46.2% of adults who had attempted suicide within the past 12 months reported having had contact with emergency services (United States, 2019)
Interpretation
Mental Health Behavior Interpretation
In the United States in 2019, 46.2% of men who attempted suicide in the prior 12 months had contact with emergency services, underscoring how mental health behavior often escalates to urgent crisis intervention.
More related reading
05 · Category
Risk Factors3 stats
01
37.2% of men who died by suicide in England and Wales had a history of mental illness or suicide risk (2019–2020 in coroner’s data analysis)
02
18.6% of men who died by suicide in England and Wales had alcohol misuse noted (2021–2022 report)
03
31% of suicide deaths in men in South Africa were linked to substance use in the last year before death (mortality audit estimate, 2018–2019)
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
Across these risk-factor reports, men’s suicide deaths are strongly associated with mental health and harmful substance use, with 37.2% linked to mental illness or suicide risk in England and Wales and a further 31% tied to substance use in South Africa, showing that substance-related issues are a recurring and important risk signal.
06 · Category
Means & Circumstances1 stats
01
64% of suicide deaths among men in Brazil were by firearms in 2019 (national surveillance report)
Interpretation
Means & Circumstances Interpretation
In Brazil in 2019, 64% of men’s suicide deaths involved firearms, showing that this means and circumstances factor is a dominant contributor to the pattern of male suicide deaths.
07 · Category
Program Coverage4 stats
01
1,000,000 people received suicide prevention training across Europe in 2022 (Lifeline/ASSIST program outcomes report)
02
82% of participating organizations reported increased capacity to respond to suicide risk after training (2022 program evaluation)
03
38% of adults in Australia reported knowing how to get help for suicide-related distress (2021 national survey)
04
61% of youth-serving organizations reported using a suicide risk assessment tool (2021 survey)
Interpretation
Program Coverage Interpretation
From the program coverage perspective, uptake and help knowledge appear uneven, since 1,000,000 people received suicide prevention training in Europe in 2022 but only 38% of adults in Australia reported knowing how to get help and just 61% of youth-serving organizations reported using a suicide risk assessment tool.
08 · Category
Trends & Geography2 stats
01
15% decrease in suicide deaths among men in Sweden between 2010 and 2022 (age-standardized trend estimate)
02
Male suicide death rate increased by 6.5% in Japan between 2019 and 2023 (trend from vital statistics)
Interpretation
Trends & Geography Interpretation
Under the Trends & Geography lens, men’s suicide outcomes are moving in different directions across countries, with Sweden seeing a 15% decrease from 2010 to 2022 while Japan recorded a 6.5% rise in the male suicide death rate from 2019 to 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Men Suicide Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/men-suicide-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Men Suicide Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/men-suicide-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Men Suicide Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/men-suicide-statistics.
Sources & references
27 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+8 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)