context: In 2014, Pickett and Wilkinson were invited to Auckland and Dunedin to discuss the relevance of their research to New Zealand. They argued that as inequality in New Zealand has grown, there has been a dramatic increase in the youth suicides, although in contrast, recent Department of Health data shows that the age-standardised suicide rate decreased by 19.5% from the peak rate of 15.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 1998 to 12.2 deaths per 100,000 population in 2012. The proliferation of food banks increased dramatically; and the number of families and children living in poverty has increased. However serious crimes causing injury and death decreased by 20% between 2012 and 2014, whilst assaults decreased by 3% over the same period. At the same time, health care spending has increased.  In 2011 Health spending accounted for 10% of GDP, higher than the OECD average of 9.3%.  As in many OECD countries, health spending in New Zealand slowed down post the GFC but still reached 3% in real terms in 2010 and 2011 - higher than the OECD average. in 2012 New Zealand has 2.7 doctors per 1,000 population, and increase from 2.2 in the year 2000.
question: How many percent did the rate of suicide decrease from 15.1 deaths in 1998 to 12.2 in 2012?
answer: 2.9