In a recent cross-sectional study using period trend analysis of United States (US) suicide victims aged 10-19 years old from January 1, 1975 to December 31, 2016 to investigate trends in suicide among US youth. Period trends in suicide rates by sex and age group were assessed using joinpoint regression. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated using negative binomial regression comparing male and female suicide rates within periods. From 1975 to 2016, 85,051 youth suicide deaths in the US were identified. The male to female IRR was 3.82 (95% CI, 3.35-4.35), with 68,085 (80.1%) deaths attributed to males, and 16,966 (19.9%). From 2007, suicide rates for female youth demonstrated the largest significant percentage increase compared to with male youth (12.7% vs. 7.1% for 10-14 years; 7.9% vs. 3.5% for 15-19 years). Significant declining trends in the male to female IRR were also discovered in non-Hispanic white youth aged 10-14 years. The marked reduction in the historical gap between male and female suicide rates in the US youth population suggests the need for interventions that may be sex-specific. Future research that focuses on sex differences in risk factors for suicide is warranted.
Reference:
Ruch DA et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(5):Epub ahead of print. Abstract
For more information: