For several years Sedgwick County has had a higher average suicide rate per 100,000 people than the national average. In 2020 Sedgwick County recorded its highest rate, according to data from Sedgwick County and KU School of Medicine-Wichita. During a year of lockdowns, isolation and closures, there were approximately 20.4 suicides per 100,000 Sedgwick County residents, which equates to 105 individuals. Mental illness was linked to more than half of those 2020 deaths, with 55% of the individuals who died having a known history of mental illness.
Source: Wichita Eagle
