Suicides increased by 40 percent in Isabella County last year while drug overdose death rates went down, two significant changes reported in the 2017 medical examiner’s report.
A total of 10 deaths in the county were ruled suicides last year, the highest number since forensic pathologists at Sparrow Hospital were contracted as Isabella’s medical examiner office in 2014.
That 40 percent jump last year is higher than a national trend reported by the Center for Disease Control last week, that shows suicide rates across the country increasing by nearly 30 percent since 1999.
As the national conversation turns to suicide prevention, experts say recognizing signs of suicide —including anxious or agitated behavior, suggestive actions, giving away possessions or saying good bye, mental health or substance abuse issues and prior attempts— is key in stopping the trend.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 is available 24 hours a day.
Firearms were the most common method of suicide in Isabella County, with seven of the 10 involving guns, according to the medical examiner’s report.
That also topped the national average, with almost half of the suicides included in the CDC’s 17-year-report involving firearms.
Of the remaining three Isabella suicides, two were hangings and one was an intentional drug overdose.
Eight other drug overdose deaths — ruled accidental — were reported in the county in 2017, a more than 35 percent decrease from the two previous years.
Of the nine total drug overdose deaths, eight involved opioids and all nine people were between 23 and 54 years old with a median age of 39.
Similar to the last four years, demographics of drug overdose deaths were nearly evenly split between men and women and between white and Native American heritage in 2017.
In total five men and four women died from drug intoxication; five were white and four were Native American, according to the medical examiner’s report.
Other accidental deaths in the county in 2017 included 11 vehicle crashes, six falls, two drownings and two from asphyxia.
A total of 118 deaths were reported to the medical examiner’s office last year, with 110 investigated.
Of the remaining investigations, 75 were ruled natural deaths and three were considered indeterminate.
The full 2017 report is expected to be published on the Sparrow website this week.