5% of the world's population. China has around 21% of the females on Earth, but they account for 55.8% of female suicides. This is alarming, because in the US, women tend to attempt suicide less frequently than men, about .4 per 100,000 per year. WHO estimates that by 2020, more than 543,000 suicides will take place each year in China alone, an increase of nearly half in one generation (Brown 2001). .
Why does an individual take his/her own life? Know one knows for sure, but genetics, sociobiology theories, and the presence of drugs and alcohol have all been considered contributing factors. Many experts agree that suicide is genetic. "Suicide tends to run in families" (Maris, 2002). Maris reported that in 11% of suicides in Chicago, IL, the person had a close relative who had committed suicide. There have also been claims that 6-8% of suicide attempters had a family history of suicide. The reasoning behind this genetic link is the varying levels of serotonin (low serotonin is associated with deregulation of impulses) in those who attempt suicide. "The most common biological marker of suicide is reduced concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the CSF of suicide cases verses controls" (Maris, 2002). Other than serotonin levels, experts also point toward sociobiology theories as being a probable cause. Some individuals are vulnerable to suicide during life changes. Suicide is often times linked to depression, which can be caused by difficulties in relationships, in health, and in socially successful behavior. In the US, suicide rates in women tend to peak at menopause, whereas male suicide rates peak only in the very old. This is believed to be because of our biological need to reproduce and take care of a family. Another risk factor for suicide is alcohol and drug abuse. The suicide rate for alcoholism is, for all ages, between 65 and 85 times greater than the overall suicide rate for the population as a whole.