Statewide Iowa — (RI) — The Iowa Department of Public Health has released a new report which gives a more in-depth look at violent deaths in Iowa.
Pat McGovern is the suicide prevention director for DPH.
He says a majority of those types of deaths are suicides — and four out of five suicides involve males.
McGovern says men often use a gun when attempting suicide and that is why those attempts often end up being lethal. The report shows the largest proportion of suicide deaths were people aged 25-64.
The report breaks things down a little more to show problems with intimate partners were noted as a contributing circumstance most often among young adults. Physical health problems were noted as a circumstance of suicide more often as age increased.
McGovern says it’s easy to boil things down, but he says suicide is more complicated and there is almost always more than one factor involved.
He says there is help available by contacting Your Life Iowa.
He says the site is available to anyone who needs it.
The service is available 24/7 through live chat at yourlifeiowa.org/suicide — or by calling 855-581-8111 or by texting 855-895-8398.
Image courtesy of Radio Iowa
