Since 1999 there has been a rise of suicides among less educated white Americans. This demographic group also makes up the majority of Trump voters. To contextualize this trend of suicides through the lens of the 2016 presidential election, regression analyses were run using county level suicide, demographic, and voting data. Before the election, in 2014, the percent of Trump voters in a county was significantly and positively correlated with suicide. However, after the election, in 2017, the percent of Trump voters in a county was no longer a significant predictor of suicide. These data may indicate that the formation of a community and collective conscience around Trump has led to a decline in anomic suicides.
The author has given permission for this work to be deposited in the Digital Archive of Colorado College.
Colorado College Honor Code upheld.
Includes bibliographical references.
The author has given permission for this work to be deposited in the Digital Archive of Colorado College.
Colorado College Honor Code upheld.
