Risk of suicide among stroke survivors in the United States

Stroke is the largest cause of disability and the 5^th leading cause of death in the United States. Suicide is the 12^th leading cause of death in the United States. However, little is known about the risk of suicide among people with a prior stroke.

Using Multiple Cause of Death data (1999-2020) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER database, we examined via cross-sectional analysis the risk of suicide among survivors of stroke as compared to the general U.S. population and among subgroups within the United States.

We assessed disparities in suicide rate among patients with stroke stratified by sex, race, urbanization levels, and census regions using the CDC WONDER multiple cause of death database. Standardized mortality rates were calculated to compare the suicide rate of stroke patients with the rates among demographic-matched cohorts and the general United States population.

As compared to the general population, stroke survivors had an elevated risk of suicide. Black stroke survivors had a lower rate of suicide as compared to the general population, while White stroke survivors and those in nonmetropolitan areas had an elevated risk compared to the general population.

There was a slightly elevated risk of suicide among people with a prior stroke in the United States. This risk may be elevated among White people and among people living in nonmetropolitan areas.