News from the Field
Study Finds Suicide Rate for Girls Increasing Faster than for Boys
June 06, 2019 | Emily Taylor
A recent NPR story reported on the results of a study analyzing changes in suicide rate trends. Based on analysis of more than 85,000 youth suicides between 1975 and 2016, researchers found a major shift occurred after 2007.The “increase was highest for girls ages 10 to 14, rising by nearly 13% since 2007. While for boys of the same age, it rose by 7%.”
In the commentary by Joan Luby and Sarah Kertz that accompanied the journal article, the authors conclude: “Increasing rates of suicidality may be the ‘canary in the coal mine’ signaling important health concerns arising from the increased and pervasive use of social media affecting child and adolescent development. Such a signal in general health would raise great alarm and calls to action, and it must not go unheeded in mental health.”