The Washington Post Reports, “Baby boomers are killing themselves at an alarming rate, raising question: Why?” The article draws on recent statistics reported by the CDC and research on the family from the Center for Family and Demographic Research.
From the CDC report “Suicide Among Adults Aged 35–64 Years — United States, 1999–2010“:
“Most suicide research and prevention efforts have focused on youths and older adults. Although the analysis in this report does not explain why suicide rates are increasing so substantially among middle-aged adults, the results underscore the importance of prevention strategies that address the needs of persons aged 35–64 years, which includes the baby boomer cohort.”
From the Center for Family and Demographic Research report “Unmarried Boomers Confront Old Age: A National Portrait“
“One in three baby boomers was unmarried. The vast majority of these unmarried boomers were either divorced or never-married; just 10% were widowed. Unmarried boomers faced greater economic, health, and social vulnerabilities compared to married boomers. Divorced boomers had more economic resources and better health than widowed and never-married boomers. Widows appeared to be the most disadvantaged among boomer women, whereas never-marrieds were the least advantaged among boomer men.” (p.2)