1. Suicide & Poverty in the US
Is there a relationship?
Based on data collected between
Nicolette Whitfield

2. What is the correlation between the amount of poverty stricken families each year versus the number of deaths caused by suicide each year? Do more or less people commit suicide based on poverty levels?

3. How is poverty defined by the Us Census?
Independent / Explanatory
Number of poverty stricken families per year
Data collected from US Census website.
How is poverty defined by the Us Census?
The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty.
If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold, then that family and every individual in it is considered in poverty. The official poverty thresholds do not vary geographically.
The official poverty definition uses money income before taxes and does not include capital gains or noncash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid, and food stamps).
The Variables

4. Poverty Stricken Families
Sample Size 30
Minimum
6400
Mean
7,805 Q1
7,098
median
7,640 q3
8,147
maximum
9,645
YEAR
Families
1985
7,223
2000
6,400
1986
7,023
2001
6,813
1987
7,005
2002
7,229
1988
6,874
2003
7,607
1989
6,784
2004
7,835
1990
7,098
2005
7,657
1991
7,712
2006
7,668
1992
8,144
2007
7,623
1993
8,393
2008
8,147
1994
8,053
2009
8,792
1995
7,532
2010
9,400
1996
7,708
2011
9,497
1997
7,324
2012
9,520
1998
7,186
2013
9,645
1999
6,792
2014
9,467

5. The Variables Dependent / Response Number of suicides per year
Data collected from Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website.
How is suicide defined by the CDC?
Suicide is when people direct violence at themselves
with the intent to end their lives, and they die as a result
of their actions.
*Suicide attempts are also recorded by the CDC. However, these numbers were not included in the sample population.
The Variables

6. Suicide Rates Sample Size 30 minimum 29,199 Mean 33,006 Q1 30,575
median
31,122 q3
34,598
maximum
42,773
YEAR
Suicides
1985
29,453
2000
29,350
1986
30,904
2001
30,622
1987
30,796
2002
31,655
1988
30,407
2003
31,484
1989
30,232
2004
32,439
1990
30,906
2005
32,637
1991
30,810
2006
33,300
1992
30,484
2007
34,598
1993
31,102
2008
36,035
1994
31,142
2009
36,909
1995
31,284
2010
38,364
1996
30,903
2011
39,518
1997
30,535
2012
40,600
1998
30,575
2013
41,149
1999
29,199
2014
42,773

7. Data Collection Methods/Sources
United States Suicide Deaths and Rates per 100,000 All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages Produced by: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC Data Source: NCHS Vital Statistics System for numbers of deaths. Bureau of Census for population estimates. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Data Collection Methods/Sources

8. Scatter Plot w/o the Outliers
1993 8,393 31,102
1992 8,144 30,484
1994 8,053 31,142
Scatter Plot w/o the Outliers

9. the slope, the amount by which 𝑦 changes when 𝑥 increases by one unit
Correlation =
The correlation measures the relationship of the linear relationship between the two variables.
The correlation between poverty and suicide is very strong making it easier to make estimates regarding future changes. =
is the fraction of the variation in the values of y that is explained by the least-squares regression of y on x.
Slope = 4
the slope, the amount by which 𝑦 changes when 𝑥 increases by one unit

10. Predictions
y = x
If the number of poverty stricken families increased to 15,000
The number of suicides would be expected to reach 61,666.
If the number of poverty stricken families decreased to 3,000
The number of suicides is expected to lower to ,538.
Even very strong correlations may not correspond to a real causal relationship (changes in x actually causing changes in y).
Correlation may be explained by a lurking variable including other factors that effect poverty stricken families.