Suicides fell across most age groups in 2024, but 50% rise in adults aged 30 to 39

While suicide deaths showed a general decline across most age groups, there was a 50 per cent increase among adults aged 30 to 39.

There were 99 such deaths in this age group in 2024, up from 66 recorded the year before.

The final number of cases in 2024 is 441, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in its Report on Registration of Births and Deaths (2025) on Monday (July 27). There were 434 reported cases in 2023.

The authority had previously reported a preliminary number of 314 suicide deaths in 2024 due to pending legal investigations.

With the finalised number at 441, the suicide death rate is 8.23 per 100,000 residents — an increase of 0.04 from 2023.

Majority of cases — 65.8 per cent or 290 — were men, as was the case in past years.

It is the leading cause of death among youths aged 10 to 29, and the second leading cause of death in adults aged 30 to 39.

The preliminary number of suicide deaths in Singapore for 2025 is 256, according to ICA.

Of them, 170 are men and 86 are women. A total of 45 men and women who died in this manner are adults aged 30 to 39.

The final number for 2025 may "differ substantially", said the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) in a statement on Tuesday.

According to SOS, adults aged 30 to 39 who use its crisis hotlines often face "complex pressures and psychosocial stressors" related to family, employment and social isolation.

It also observed that youths struggle with family, education, and interpersonal relationship pressures, while the elderly aged 60 and above experience medical issues and social isolation.

Among adults aged 60 and above, three times the number of men died by suicide than women.

"Existing research suggests that males are more socially isolated, more reserved in seeking help when experiencing emotional distress, and are more likely to use highly lethal means in suicide attempts," SOS said.

It said 62.5 per cent of suicide-related calls and texts received in 2024 were made by women, suggesting higher prevalence of help-seeking behaviour in women.

"While we have made meaningful progress in strengthening suicide prevention efforts over the years, the number of suicide deaths is a reminder that our work is far from done," said SOS CEO Terry Siow.

"Suicide prevention cannot rest solely with crisis services or mental health professionals. It requires all of us as family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbours, to recognise when someone may be struggling and have the confidence to start a conversation and direct them to the appropriate support resources."

The organisation said it has responded to over 55,000 calls and chats via its crisis helplines in the past year and provided counselling services and support groups to more than 1,200 individuals.

It will hold its suicide prevention symposium on Sept 10, in conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Day.

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