High-Risk Populations

Suicide can touch any family, in any county, at any income level. Yet decades of research tell us it does not touch every group equally. Some Tennesseans carry a heavier burden. Understanding who they are is the first step toward reaching them.

Who is at elevated risk?

Nationally and here in Tennessee, suicide rates run highest among veterans and service members, people living in rural communities, middle-aged and older men, and workers in certain occupations such as farming and construction. American Indian and Alaska Native communities have long experienced disproportionate loss. Suicide attempts are rising among young people, particularly girls and Black youth. People living with mental health or substance use conditions, those who have survived a previous attempt, and those grieving a suicide loss also face elevated risk.

One thing matters here: belonging to one of these groups does not make a person suicidal. Risk comes from the pressures and circumstances associated with these groups: isolation, stigma, trauma, financial strain, and limited access to care. When we name high-risk populations, we are talking about conditions we can change.

What do these communities need?

The basics of prevention apply to everyone: connection, access to care, and people around them who know the warning signs. What changes is how support has to be delivered.

A farmer in a rural county may live an hour from the nearest counselor. He may have grown up in a culture where you handle your problems yourself. A veteran may only open up to someone who has worn the uniform. Reaching high-risk populations means meeting people where they already gather. This includes co-ops, VFW halls, churches, schools, and workplaces. It means training trusted messengers within those communities. We should not expect people in pain to reach out for themselves. We need to connect people with resources created for them, such as the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, then press 1).

TSPN’s Elevated Risk Task Force monitors trends within these populations and works with partners across the state to match prevention efforts to the communities they serve. Contact us at tspn@tspn.org if you are interested in learning more about the Task Force or joining its next meeting.