Results of youth suicidal-thinking survey announced

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. – The Jason Foundation, a nationally recognized leader in youth suicide awareness and prevention, recently shared the announcement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released the results of the 2017 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System.

The YRBSS survey includes national, state and local school-based representative samples of ninth through 12th-grade students. The purpose is to monitor priority health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability and social problems among youth in the United States.

The surveys are conducted every two years to determine the prevalence of these health risk behaviors. Behaviors that contribute to unhealthy lifestyles and those that indicate possible depression and suicidal ideation are included.

Currently, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for high school aged youth, as well as for youth ages 10 through 24. The four questions below are included in the YRBSS and relate to suicidal thinking. The national statistics are provided.

● Have you experienced the feeling of hopelessness and sadness for a constant period of two weeks or greater during the past 12 months? It is a possible beginning of clinical depression? One out of every three young people, 31.5 percent, answered yes.

● Have you seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months? More than one out of every six young people, 17.2 percent, answered yes.

● Have you made a plan to commit suicide in the past 12 months? Almost one out of every seven young people, 13.6 percent, answered yes.

● Have you attempted suicide in the past 12 months? More than one out of every 14 young people, 7.4 percent, answered yes.

To see the full report, including a state by state breakdown, visit http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm.

The Jason Foundation provides programs for youth, parents, educators and the community to help recognize when a young person may be struggling with thoughts of suicide and how to assist them. All programs and materials are available at no cost to the public. The Jason Foundation has 117 affiliate offices across the country which services all 50 states. For more information or to find a local Jason Foundation affiliate office, visit http://www.jasonfoundation.com.