2001-2007 to 2008-2022 Saw Increase in Preteen Suicides

Significant increases seen in all subgroups, with greatest increases for girls, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Asian or Pacific Islander preteens

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Between 2001-2007 and 2008-2022, there was a significant increase in the suicide rate among U.S. preteens, according to a research letter published online July 30 in JAMA Network Open.

Donna A. Ruch, Ph.D., from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and colleagues examined characteristics and trends in suicide rates of U.S. preteens using national mortality data from 2001 to 2020 from the Web-based Statistics Query and Reporting System where suicide was listed as the underlying cause of death.

The researchers found that from 2001 to 2022, 2,241 preteens died by suicide. Following a downward trend until 2007, there was a significant increase in suicide rates by 8.2 percent annually from 2008 to 2022, corresponding to a significant increase in overall rates from 2001-2007 to 2008-2022 (3.34 to 5.71 per 1 million; incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.71). All subgroups had significant increases, with the greatest increases seen for girls (IRR, 3.32); American Indian or Alaska Native and Asian or Pacific Islander preteens and Hispanic preteens (IRRs, 1.99 and 2.06, respectively); and firearm suicides (IRR, 2.29).

“This study provides a foundation for future research to explore unique factors associated with preteen suicide,” the authors write. “The findings also support the need for culturally informed and developmentally appropriate prevention efforts that emphasize robust risk screening and lethal means restriction.”