By Elizabeth Koh

The report, released by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, found the suicide rate among Florida women rose during a 14-year period to a level above the national average, and that experiences of poor mental health have also become more prevalent among women.

It was “one of the most troubling findings in the report,” said report co-author Julie Anderson.

The institute, which is supported by a swath of non-profit and women’s organizations, has published a national report on the status of women since 1996 and previously released a similar comprehensive report on Florida in 2004. The most recent report, commissioned by the Florida Women’s Funding Alliance, an arm of the Florida Philanthropic Network, is the last in a series on social and economic conditions for women in the state.

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