Adolescent health brief
Changes in Suicide Rates by Hanging and/or Suffocation and Firearms Among Young Persons Aged 10–24 Years in the United States: 1992–2006

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.11.206Get rights and content

Abstract

We examined changes in suicide rates among 10–24-year-olds in the United States from 1992 to 2006. The overall suicide rate and the rate by firearms, poisoning, and other methods declined markedly, whereas the hanging/suffocation rate increased significantly from 1992 to 2006. This increase occurred across every major demographic subgroup, but was most dramatic for females.

Section snippets

Methods

Using the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, we obtained data on deaths for which suicide (coded E950–E959 for International Classification of Diseases [ICD], Ninth Revision [ICD-9] [1992–1998] and X60–X84, Y87.0, and U03 for ICD-10 [1999–2006]) was listed as the underlying cause of death among 10–24-year-olds [3]. There is excellent agreement between classification of suicide deaths in ICD-9 and ICD-10 [4]. The 10–24 year age group was selected to facilitate comparison

Results

The regression analysis found that all trends were statistically significant (all p ≤ .01) except for deaths classified as unintentional hanging and/or suffocation (p > .15). Figure 1 displays the significant decline (–23%) in the overall suicide rate between 1992 and 2006 among persons aged 10–24 years, as well as the significant decreases in suicide rates by firearms (–45%) and by poisoning and other methods (–20%). Hanging and/or suffocation is the only method of suicide whose rate increased

Discussion

This study extends prior research on changes in methods of suicide among young persons in the United States [1], [2]. Although the Centers for Disease Control previously reported an increase from 2003 to 2004 in the suicide rate by hanging and/or suffocation among females aged 10–24 years [1], we have found significant increases in the rate of hanging and/or suffocation for U.S. youth and young adults in every major demographic subgroup for the 15-year period from 1992 to 2006. We could not

Acknowledgments

Supported by grant K01-MH069948 from the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health (to J.A.B.); and also supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant 5R01-MH078629-02 (to J.B.G. and K.J.K.), grant R01-MH069715-04 (to J.V.C.), and grant R49-CCR323155 (to A.F.). The National Institute of Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not participate in the design and conduct

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