Wyoming Department of Health: Fewer Births, Deaths, and Suicides in 2022

Statistics from the Wyoming Department of Health show 2022 was a year of “fewer,” with declines in nearly every category and a return to pre-pandemic trends.

Fewer deaths, births, marriages, and divorces were recorded among Wyoming residents in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to official records held by Vital Statistics Services (V.S.S.), which is part of the Wyoming Department of Health (W.D.H.)

V.S.S. promotes and protects the health of Wyoming residents by serving as the official custodian of all vital records in the state and distributing health information. However, the records published in this article are currently considered provisional – minor adjustments are expected as numbers are finalized.

Among Wyoming residents, there were 5,886 deaths recorded in 2022, 6,572 deaths in 2021, 5,986 deaths in 2020, and 5,122 deaths in 2019, according to official death certificate information.

Death certificates are completed by attending physicians and coroners and then filed with V.S.S.

“Wyoming’s data showed consistent, modest increases in deaths before the pandemic for several years largely due to our aging population,” said Guy Beaudoin, V.S.S. deputy state registrar with W.D.H. “The COVID-19 pandemic was a factor behind the sharply increased recorded deaths we saw in 2020 and 2021. The numbers are still higher than we would have expected before the pandemic, but may be beginning to return to a more normal state.”

Stefan Johansson, W.D.H. director, said, “There was a notable reduction in suicides last year. This is certainly something we welcome. There could be several factors involved, such as increased attention toward mental health issues both in our state and across the country.”

In 2022, there were 149 suicides recorded among Wyoming residents compared to 190 in 2021 (+8 over 2020.)

Previously, there were 182 in 2020 (+12 over 2019), 170 in 2019 (+22 over 2018), 148 in 2018 (-8 over 2017), 156 in 2017 (+13 over 2016), 143 in 2016 (-12 over 2015), 155 in 2015 (+35 over 2014), 120 in 2014 (-8 over 213) and 128 in 2013 (-44 over 2012).

Johansson noted Wyoming’s small population often leads to significant swings between years with certain types of statistics. “That’s why it’s important to look at longer-term trends and rates in addition to year-over-year numbers. Between years, sometimes there are increases, and sometimes there are reductions,” he said.

Wyoming’s data show about 72 percent of suicide deaths in 2022 were due to firearms, with 22 percent due to hanging and 4 percent due to poisoning.

Beaudoin noted deaths linked to overdoses have also increased between some years and decreased between others. “In 2022, there was a slight decrease as compared to the year before based on death certificate data,” he said.

In 2022, there were 93 overdose deaths recorded among Wyoming residents compared to 98 in 2021 (+5 over 2020). Previously, there were 90 in 2020 (+9 over 2019), 81 in 2019 (+16 over 2018), 65 in 2018 (+5 over 2017), 60 in 2017 (-34 over 2016), 94 in 2016 (-1 over 2015), 95 in 2015 (-12 over 2014), 107 in 2014 (+11 over 2013) and 96 in 2013 (-3 over 2012).

Among the reported overdose deaths in 2022, 29 percent were linked with prescription drugs, 59 percent with illicit drugs, and 10 percent involved a combination. Opioids can be either prescription drugs or illicit drugs and were connected to 72 of the reported overdose deaths last year. Fentanyl was linked with 48 of the deaths, and methamphetamine with 47.

“Adding these numbers gives you a higher number than the total because of drug definitions and because overdoses often involve ‘combined’ drugs or multiple drugs,” Beaudoin said.

The top five causes of death in Wyoming for 2022, listed in order:

1. Heart diseases
2. Cancers
3. Accidents and adverse effects
4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related conditions
5. COVID-19.

COVID-19 was the third-leading cause of death in both 2020 and 2021.

“When it comes to new babies, in 2022, we returned to the ongoing significant downward trend we’d seen over several years with the exception of an increase in 2021,” Beaudoin said.

There were 6,050 births among Wyoming resident mothers in 2022 compared with 6,236 in 2021, 6,133 in 2020, and 6,568 in 2019 before the pandemic.

The high over the past decade was in 2015, with 7,662 resident births.

V.S.S. also holds marriage and divorce records. There were 4,227 marriages recorded in Wyoming last year compared to 4,284 in 2021, 4,009 in 2020, and 4,064 in 2019 before the pandemic. As far as divorces, there were 1,905 finalized in 2022 compared with 2,165 in 2021, 2,220 divorces in 2020, and 2,241 in 2019 before the pandemic.