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Abstract
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a decrease in the 2019 suicide rate, from 14.2 per 100 000 individuals in 2018 to 13.9 per 100 000 individuals in 2019, representing 833 fewer suicides.1 This is the first national year-over-year decrease since 1999, but efforts need to consider trends among subgroups. Growing concerns regarding increasing rates of suicides among Black youth2 led us to examine subgroup trends over the past 2 decades...
The data analyzed here came from the official source of US mortality data; nonetheless, misclassification of death by suicide and race/ethnicity are limitations. Examining suicide trends in subgroups is necessary to inform prevention efforts that reach everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health awareness. Although we will not be able to examine the association of COVID-19 with suicide rates for some time, recent reports suggest racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes4 and suicide deaths in 1 state,5 and the increase in Black and Asian or Pacific Islander youth suicide rates are worrisome. Efforts are needed to mitigate suicide and its risk factors in population subgroups, which may include systemic and other factors that have placed increased stress on individuals who belong to racial/ethnic minority groups, particularly Black and Asian or Pacific Islander individuals. The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's Mental Health and Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 has identified actions needed to reduce suicide and mental disorders now and after the pandemic ends, including investments in equitable delivery of mental health and suicide preventive services and approaches that treat the root causes of suicide and mental illness...
Language: en |