Suicide Among Youths
In the United States, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) collected data on the number of children with suicidal thoughts or attempts going to the ER. The study found that between 2007 and 2015 the number of children who visited the ER for suicidal thoughts or attempts doubled from 580,000 to 1.12 million. The children in this study ranged between 5 and 18 years old in over 300 emergency rooms across the country. The average age of evaluation in the study was 13; however, 43% of the children evaluated were between the ages of 5 and 11. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that there is approximately 4,600 youth who are between the ages of 10 and 24 die each year. This makes suicide the third leading cause of death in children in the United States.
Experts believe there are several influences for this increase including an increase in depression, more stress and pressure, and bullying. In the United States, there is a severe shortage of psychiatrists practicing for children. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, there are fewer than 17 providers per every 100,000 children available. Furthermore, there is a shortage of pediatric specialists to care for the increasing number of children. Another concern is organizations and facilities assisting the children are not communicating with one another, which leads to the kids not getting the appropriate support needed.