Get Schools Involved in Preventing a Leading Cause of Death among Young People in the U.S. - Participate in the National Suicide Prevention Week
September 9-15 is Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide is the eleventh cause of death in the United States and the third leading cause of death among youths and young adults aged 10-24 years. During National Suicide Prevention Week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages parents, educators, health-care providers, and health authorities to learn more about suicide, including the groups at greatest risk, warning signs for suicide, and potential prevention strategies.
A new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released by the CDC on September 7, 2007 shows that, during 1990-2003, the combined suicide rate for persons aged 10-24 declined 28.5%. However, from 2003 to 2004, the rate rose eight percent, the largest single increase in 14 years. During this year, the largest increases in suicide numbers and percentages were seen for females aged 10-14 years increasing from 56 to 94 (75.9%), females aged 15-19 years increasing from 265 to 355 (32.3%), and males aged 15-19 years increasing from 1,222 to 1,345 (9.0%).
The report shows, however, that there have been some misclassified suicides due to unintentional asphyxia fatalities resulting from adolescents playing "the choking game." Available evidence suggests that these deaths are more common among males and unlikely account for a substantial increase in hanging/suffocation suicides among young girls. The game intentionally restricts the supply of oxygen to the brain, often with a ligature, to induce a brief euphoria.
According to the report, scientific knowlege on risk factors for suicide in young females is limited and research that focuses on suicide has emphasized males, who constitute approximately three fourths of suicides aged 10-19 years. Research on suicidal behavior among females primarily has examined factors related to suicidal thoughts and nonfatal self-inflicted injuries. Nevertheless, the report lists family discord, legal/disciplinary problems as well as school concerns as factors that can increase the risk for suicide among youths of both sexes. Also, according to the CDC, other risk factors include: 1) a previous suicide attempt; 2) history of depression or other mental illness; 3) alcohol or drug abuse; 4) family history of suicide or violence; 5) physical illness; and 6) feeling alone. Since U.S. mortality data lack information on many risk factors for suicide, certain reasons for subgroup vulnerabilities have not yet been revealed.
New Report Shows a Disconnection in U.S. Mental Health Care System
A new report on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Mental Health Survey Initiative published in this month’s edition of The Lancet, shows that the U.S. population used mental health services more than any other country, at 18 percent. By comparison, 11 percent of France’s population used services, and the lowest rate of services used was 1.6 percent in Nigeria. Nevertheless, according to Dr. Wang, who conducted the research while he was at Harvard University, although people sought and used services more in the United States, most did not receive adequate care – evidence of a striking disconnect in the U.S. mental health care system.
Coordinated School Health Programs Can Help Bridge the Mental Health Care System Disconnect, Prevent Suicide among Youth, and Make Students Better Learners
A student with a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts can be greatly impaired of his or her intellectual and cognitive abilities. Schools can help address mental health issues by implementing sound policies and programs through Coordinated School Health Programs (CSHP) – an integrated systems approach to addressing health issues in schools through health education; physical education; health services; nutrition services; counseling, psychological and social services; healthy school environment; health promotion for staff; and family and community involvement.
When providing children and youth with counseling, psychological, and social services, schools are not only showing kids they care about their mental health issues, but are also helping students seek appropriate care. When schools utilize the coordinated school health approach, they give families a chance to interact more with their kids, be aware of health issues that affect youth, and be more involved in participating in programs that help kids maintain their physical and mental health. In addition, other components of this approach can also have an impact on children’s mental health such as providing adequate physical education, teaching students how to recognize warning signs of mental illnesses, and providing them with adequate nutrition that help combat those kinds of illnesses.
For additional information on suicide prevention, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/suicide/default.htm.
For more information on Coordinated School Health Programs, please visit NSBA’s School Health Programs website at http://www.nsba.org/schoolhealth.
Source: “National Suicide Prevention Week – September 9-15, 2007,” MMWR Weekly, CDC, September 7, 2007; “Suicide Trends Among Youths and Young Adults Aged 10-24 Years – United States, 1990-2004,” MMWR Weekly, CDC, September 7, 2007; “Global Survey Reveals Significant Gap in Meeting World’s Mental Health Care Needs,” National Institute of Mental Health’s Press Release, NIH, September 6, 2007.