Oklahoma has a higher suicide rate than most other states, and it's increasing faster than the national average.
From 2013 to 2022, nearly 8,000 Oklahomans died by suicide, according to a new report examining data from the Oklahoma Violent Death Reporting System. That's approximately two people every day, for the last ten years.
The report, compiled by Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, links deaths to low broadband access, intimate partner conflict, poor mental health screening practices and weak gun laws. Executive Director Zack Stoycoff said these factors, among others, illustrate the complexity of suicide, and the state's need for targeted solutions.
"It's much more complex than simply saying depression is high and, therefore, suicide is high," he said. "There are so many reasons and causes for suicide that differ based on your culture and whether you're in urban or rural Oklahoma or what stage of life you're in."
Geographic, racial disparities
The 10th most common cause of death in Oklahoma, suicide reaches all parts of the state. Still, some areas and populations are disproportionately affected.
Healthy Minds' analysis found death rates were higher in more rural parts of Oklahoma, especially in the southeast and in counties where there is less broadband access. Beckham and Major County, where about 13% of residents don't have access to broadband, were both among the ten counties in the state with the highest rate of suicide between 2018 and 2022.
Stoycoff said broadband doesn't only make it possible to use mental health resources like telehealth, but can make a significant difference in whether a person feels connected to their community.
"I think that's one of the key takeaways from our report," he said. "Suicide, as much as [it is] connected to mental health need, and it certainly is, it is also connected to just human needs."
He said access to job postings, additional forms of communication and social supports are strong protective factors that can help prevent suicide.
Between 2004 and 2022, Native American and white Oklahomans had the highest suicide rates in the state. In 2020, the suicide death rate for Native American Oklahomans surpassed that of white Oklahomans for the first time, more than doubling since 2004.
The suicide death rate for Black Oklahomans has also increased significantly. While Black Oklahomans had lower suicide deaths than other demographic groups, they had higher rates of emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations for suicidality.
Social factors
Suicides are also connected to familial and romantic relationships, Stoykoff said. Unhealthy relationships can increase risk, and healthy relationships can lower it.
According to the report, about a third of Oklahomans who died by suicide in the past decade had problems with a current or former intimate partner before their death. Those problems, like divorce, breakups, arguments or violence, contributed to nearly half the suicide deaths for people 24 to 45 years old.
"It just really illustrates how relational we are as human beings," Stoycoff said. "And how important our relationships and community is to us."
Conflict with a family member, criminal or legal problems, housing instability and financial stress were also listed as contributing factors in suicide deaths in the state.
Mental health screening
47% of people who committed suicide in Oklahoma had been seen by a primary care physician within a month of their death.
"The health care system really should be treating the whole person," Stykoff said. "We can't ignore mental health risk, not just because of suicide of course, but because even physical health conditions worsen when there's an untreated mental health condition."
The report recommends incorporating mental health screenings into regular doctor visits. This year's efforts to make the practice part of state law likely won't succeed.
Universal screening for suicide in schools and health care settings could help identify more people at risk of suicide and connect them with crucial mental health supports, according to the report. To be successful, those conducting the screenings also need appropriate tools, plans and protocols to respond when someone expresses suicidality or screens positive, including safety planning and discussions about access to lethal means.
Gun laws
Many states have passed what are called "red flag laws," which allows a judge to restrict a person's access to firearms when they may be a danger to themselves or others.
In 2020, Oklahoma became the first — and still only — state to ban any red flag law from being implemented.
The report asks lawmakers to repeal the law and enforce "common-sense" policies, like requiring secure gun storage or creating ways for people to voluntarily and temporarily surrender their firearms during a mental health crisis.
According to the report, most suicides in Oklahoma are gun deaths, with almost 80% performed using handguns. Firearms were the most common means of suicide across all age groups and genders, but men and boys were significantly more likely to use firearms than women and girls.
If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, call 988, available 24/7, to reach a trained mental health counselor.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
