A new study shows that most young people who died by suicide in the U.S. had no documented mental health diagnosis.
The research, published in JAMA Network Open, looked at data from the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System. It found that about 60% of young people who died by suicide between 2010 and 2021 had no prior mental health condition.
The study included over 40,000 suicides among people aged 10 to 24. Only 40.4% had a documented mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety. Dr. Jennifer Hoffmann, co-author of the study, stressed the need for better access to mental health services for all youth. She noted that certain groups were less likely to have a diagnosis. These groups included those who used guns, were of minority race or ethnicity, males, and children under 14.
The chances of having a recorded mental health diagnosis varied by race and ethnicity. American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black youth were less likely to have a diagnosis than White youth. Hispanic youth also had lower odds than non-Hispanic youth.
Hoffmann and her team found that mental health diagnoses were less common among younger children (ages 10 to 14) and males. They also discovered that only 33.2% of youth who died by guns had a documented mental health issue, compared to 61.6% who died by poisoning.
To reduce youth suicide by guns, Hoffmann suggested safe gun storage counseling for parents. She also supported secure storage laws, which have been shown to reduce gun suicides. The study found that 64.8% of youth suicides happened at home, and guns were involved in 46.8% of the deaths.
Dr. Nina Mena, a psychiatrist, emphasized the need to take every mention of suicide seriously. She urged parents to ensure children are in safe environments and to seek therapy for them.
A separate study in JAMA Network Open reported an 8.2% yearly increase in the suicide rate among U.S. preteens from 2008 to 2022. This rise follows a previous downward trend. The studies highlight the need for better mental health care, especially for Black and Hispanic youth, who face significant disparities.
