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Teen suicide rates increase

A government report shows the largest single-year rise in suicide rates in 15 years. Could this be a scary trend? After a decline of more than 28 percent between 1990 and 2003, suicide rates increased between 2003 and 2004 by 8 percent. In Al's Morning Meeting, Poynter's Al Tompkins brings up the issue and shows some chilling statistics.

-- Kelli Polson

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports:

“This is the biggest annual increase that we've seen in 15 years. We don't yet know if this is a short-lived increase or if it"s the beginning of a trend,” said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of CDC′s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “Either way, it's a harsh reminder that suicide and suicide attempts are affecting too many youth and young adults. We need to make sure suicide prevention efforts are continuous and reaching children and young adults.”

The report says the biggest increases are among girls and 15 to 19-year-old boys...:

For 10-to-14-year-old females, the rate increased from 0.54 per 100,000 in 2003 to 0.95 per 100,000 in 2004
For 15-to-19 year-old females the rate increased from 2.66 to 3.52 per 100,000
For 15-to-19 year-old males, the rate increased from 11.61 to 12.65 per 100,000.

Prior to 2003, the rates for all three groups were generally decreasing.

The study also says that kids are using different methods to take their own lives:

The analysis also found that changes had taken place in the methods used to attempt suicide. In 1990, firearms were the most common method for both girls and boys. However, in 2004, hanging/suffocation was the most common method of suicide among girls, accounting for 71.4 percent of suicides among 10- to-14-year-old girls and 49 percent among 15-to-19 year-old girls. From 2003 to 2004, there was a 119 percent increase in hanging/suffocation suicides among 10-to -14-year-old girls. For boys and young men, firearms are still the most common method.

USA Today offers this summary of the report.

Posted at 12:15 AM February 29, 2008

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