Youth Suicide Rates Rising, Especially Among Young Teenage Girls
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Nancy L. Brown, PhD
A September edition of the
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reported that the U.S. suicide rate among preteens and teens rose to its highest rate in 15 years in 2004, with the biggest jump among 10 to 14 year-old girls. Between 1990 and 2003, the total suicide rate for 10-24 -year-olds declined by 28.5 percent to 6.78 deaths per 100,000 yet between 2003 and 2004, the overall rate for that age group climbed 8 percent to 7.32 deaths per 100,000, the largest single-year increase in 15 years. The study also found that suicide rates among 10-14-year-old girls doubled between 2003 and 2004, and the number of suicides among 15-19-year-olds of both sexes also increased.
It is important that parents and health care professionals, as well as teachers, coaches, and employers recognize the warning signs of
depression and
suicide in youth. The warning signs about suicide include talking about suicide or death, changes in eating or sleeping habits, and feeling sad or hopeless about the future. In 2004 approximately 161,000 youth and young adults received emergency medical care for self-inflicted injuries - so we cannot sit back and just pretend it cannot happen to us! Talk to your kids and get them in to see a counselor if you think something is going on that you do not know about!
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Health Care Professionals Can Help Prevent Teen Suicide
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Nancy L. Brown, PhD
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents and is more frequent in urban teens who have experienced violence. A
study in the June issue of
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that suicide attempts are much more likely among victims of violence and sexual assault. Recent
dating violence was also associated with suicide attempts among adolescent girls, and a lifetime history of sexual assault was linked to suicide attempts among adolescent boys.
The conclusions of the study suggested that pediatricians and family medicine doctors seeing teens include questions about violence, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidality as part of comprehensive health assessments of adolescent patients.
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Suicide Risk and Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual (GLB) Youth
Friday, February 09, 2007
Nancy L. Brown, PhD
Every time I hear about a teen suicide that no one can explain, my heart breaks. You know the stories in the paper that report that a healthy, happy, athletic, beautiful, popular, and smart student has taken his (or her) own life and no one understands why. I always fear that the student had a secret that they believed would make them unlovable, and sadly, sometimes that secret is their sexual orientation.
The November 2006 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health included an
article about what protects GLB youth from suicide risk. The research suggested that gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) youth are particularly vulnerable to suicidaal feelings, although family connectedness, teacher caring, other adult caring, and school safety all protect youth from suicide attempts.
Data for the article came from the 2004 Minnesota Student Survey of 9th and 12th grade students in which 21,927 sexually active youth were grouped according to the gender of their sex partner(s) into GLB and non-GLB groups. Four protective factors and suicidal ideation and attempts were compared across groups. The results reported that:
- 2,255 respondents had same-gender experience;
- over half of GLB students had thought about suicide;
- and 37.4% reported a suicide attempt.
GLB youth reported significantly lower levels of each protective factor than their non-GLB peers, suggesting that suicidal ideation and attempts could be reduced if GLB youth perceived more support from their families and schools.
Do me a favor and tell your kids - in whatever way you can - that you love them unconditionally, and that you love them no matter what their sexual orientation is or will be. Be clear - say the words - "you know that I love you more than anything in the world, and that I would love you just as much if you were gay, lesbian, or bisexual, too!" Don't let your teens have a secret that could kill them!
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A September edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reported that the U.S. suicide rate among preteens and teens rose to its highest rate in 15 years in 2004, with the biggest jump among 10 to 14 year-old girls. Between 1990 and 2003, the total suicide rate for 10-24 -year-olds declined by 28.5 percent to 6.78 deaths per 100,000 yet between 2003 and 2004, the overall rate for that age group climbed 8 percent to 7.32 deaths per 100,000, the largest single-year increase in 15 years. The study also found that suicide rates among 10-14-year-old girls doubled between 2003 and 2004, and the number of suicides among 15-19-year-olds of both sexes also increased.
