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Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 24 and accounts for more than 17% of deaths in this age group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 6,150 youths committed suicide in 2016. The overall suicide death rate in this age group is 9.6 per 100,000.
According to a US Department of Justice survey, from 2000 to 2014, suicide rates were two to three times higher among youth in custody than in the general population.
In a new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry of the Child and the Adolescent (JAACAP), researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined the circumstances that preceded the suicide to better understand the reason for this disparity in the suicide rate.
"We had some ideas on what might be badociated with the difference in suicide rates," said Donna Ruch, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Research and Suicide Prevention at the Nationwide Children & Research Institute. # 39; s. "But using the available data, we were able to discover surprising similarities and differences."
The study used a nationally representative sample to examine the characteristics and circumstances leading to suicide among incarcerated youth. Using data from the National Reporting System for Violent Deaths from 2003 to 2012, researchers compared the data of young people aged 10 to 24 who died by suicide during their incarceration with those of the general population.
The results show that the major risk factors for suicide – history of suicide attempts, history of mental illness, and alcohol / drug use – were not significantly different between the two groups.
"Youth incarcerated by suicide were no more likely to have mental health problems than those who committed suicide in the community," said Dr. Ruch. "It surprised us, and it led us to wonder if anything in the environment could contribute to the increase in the number of suicides." A key difference between groups is that incarcerated youth were less likely to disclose their intention to commit suicide (19.2% vs. 30.5%) or to leave a suicide note (23.5% vs. 31.0%) .
"The immediate shock of isolation and disruption of a youth's normal life can be traumatic and increase the risk of suicidal behavior," said Dr. Ruch. "This could be especially true for incarcerated youth with existing risk factors." According to the study, the prevalence of hanging / suffocation as a means of suicide for incarcerated youth highlights the potential impact of increased innovation and increased attention to the restriction of access to ligatures and ligature points in correctional facilities.
Practical and ongoing suicide risk badessments and the implementation of suicide prevention programs targeting incarcerated youth are some practical recommendations from the study's authors. According to the study, 93% of juvenile correctional facilities seek suicide risk only at the time of admission, and screening is only performed when "this is judged necessary". In addition, meeting the mental health needs of juveniles in adult facilities is even more difficult, says Dr. Ruch. The authors note that the study was not designed to solve this problem.
"Our results confirm the need to improve safety planning, early detection of suicide risk, and developmentally relevant suicide prevention interventions," said Dr. Ruch. "Our future work will include evaluation studies to support the development of effective programs for youth in correctional settings and research that will further elucidate the risk, protective and triggering factors for suicide among these youth. "
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Responsible reporting on suicide and the inclusion of stories of hope and resilience can prevent more suicides. You can find more information about the safety of messages about suicide here. If you feel suicidal, please talk to someone. You can reach the national lifeline for suicide prevention at 1-800-273-8255 or send the text "START" to the text line on the crisis at 741-741.
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