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Suicide Prevention
Preventing Youth Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour:
A Systematic and Comprehensive Approach
By Jennifer White, Ed.D
Suicide among youth is a painful reality in our contemporary society. It defies simple explanation and causes immeasurable suffering to those left behind. At the same time, based on the ongoing and dedicated efforts of researchers and suicide prevention practitioners, our knowledge about suicide has increased considerably. This brief paper summarizes what is currently known about suicide among youth and highlights key opportunities for prevention.
Prevalence of Youth Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour
Rates of suicide among youth in Canada tripled between the 1950s’s and the 1980’s. Much of this jump was accounted for by suicides among young males. Since the 1980’s, rates of suicide among youth have started to plateau. Youth suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 24 in British Columbia. Four times as many young males kill themselves compared with females.
Over the five-year-period, 2000-2004, there were 102 suicides among B.C. youth aged 15-19. In 2004 alone, there were 20 suicide deaths (7.2 per 100,000) among those 15-19 years of age in BC. Sixteen of these suicides (80%) were young males. Many more young people consider suicide or make a suicide attempt during times of stress and crisis. In BC, seven percent of youth, in grades 7 to 12 recently reported making a suicide attempt in the previous year; 11 percent said that they had planned a suicide and 16 percent reported seriously thinking about it in the previous year.
Risk and Protective Factors
Suicide and suicidal behaviours among youth are influenced by multiple, interacting risk factors that encompass biological, psychological, familial, interpersonal, social and cultural dimensions. Youth who are at risk for suicide are often at risk for other social problems, including for example substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school-drop out, and delinquency. In fact, many of these problems share common risk factors, including: depression, poor self-esteem, impulsivity, family conflict, and negative school experiences.
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