Suicides by youth on rise

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging closer study of suicide trends among young adults and teens after it ranked nationwide as the third leading cause of death for those between ages 10 and 24.

A study found rates jumped 8 percent from 2003 to 2004 after previously declining more than 28 percent.

"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 the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in Atlanta. "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."

That trend is mirrored in Florida, where 252 people under the age of 25 killed themselves in 2004. That's an increase of 22 from 2003 suicide figures. Counties like Dade and Palm Beach, which each had 22 suicides in 2004, accounted for about 17 percent of those deaths.

Lee County came in ninth of all Florida counties with 10 suicides in 2004. Males killing themselves outranked females by a 7 to 3 margin.

Locally, suicide rates have been all over the board. Of the 121 people under the age of 25 who died in Lee County in 2004, 10 were determined to be suicides. Of those, seven were males. The 2004 numbers reflect a decrease from 11 suicides in 2003, but an increase from two in 2002. In 2001, three suicides were listed for people under the age of 25.

The national report is based on an analysis of data compiled by the CDC's National Vital Statistics System, which looks at birth, death, marriage and divorce records.

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.

In 2004, only three of the 10 suicides that took place in Lee County were committed with a firearm.

"It is important for parents, health care professionals, and educators to recognize the warning signs of suicide in youth," said Dr. Keri Lubell, a behavioral scientist in CDC's Injury Center and the lead author of the study. "Parents and other caring adults should look for changes in youth such as talking about taking one's life, feeling sad or hopeless about the future. Also look for changes in eating or sleeping habits and even losing the desire to take part in favorite activities."

A previously published CDC survey of youth in grades 9 to 12 in public and private schools in the United States found that 17 percent reported "seriously considering" suicide, 13 percent reported creating a plan and 8 percent reported trying to take their own life in the 12 months preceding the survey.

"This study demands that we strengthen our efforts to help parents, schools and health care providers prevent things that increase the risk of suicide," Arias said. "We need to build on the efforts dedicated to education, screening and treatment and bridge the gap between the knowledge we currently have and the action we must take."

For more information visit www.cdc. gov/ncipc/dvp/Suicide/youthsuicide. htm. A resource for helping to prevent suicide is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free number, 1-800- 273-TALK (8255). ¦