Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Nov 1;35(6):395-400.
doi: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000816. Epub 2022 Aug 10.

Recent research advances in identification and prevention of youth suicide risk

Shira Barzilay  1 , Alan Apter  2   3
Affiliations

Recent research advances in identification and prevention of youth suicide risk

Shira Barzilay et al. Curr Opin Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Purpose of the review: The rate of youth suicidal behaviors has gradually increased over the last 15 years and continues to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend burdens mental health services and demands significant developments in risk detection and delivery of interventions to reduce the risk. In this article we outline significant advances and recent findings in youth suicide research that may facilitate strategies for identifying and preventing suicide risk among youth at risk in general and in specific risk groups.

Recent findings: The rise in suicide and suicidal behaviors is most likely to affect young people of racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender identity minorities and those living in poverty or experiencing maltreatment. The suicide rate in children is rising and demands special attention. Proximal risk factors for suicidal behavior compared with suicidal ideation have been suggested to identify near-term suicidal risk. Effective and scalable prevention strategies were identified, and the role of new technologies in suicide prevention among youth is to be determined.

Summary: To reach broader suicide prevention in youth and reduce the pressure on mental healthcare, public health approaches and improved service access for minority youth and those living in underserved areas of the world are needed.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. World Health Organization. Suicide Worldwide in 2019: Global Health Estimates. WHO 2021 [cited 2022 Jun 19]; Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1350975/retrieve .
    1. Fortgang RG, Nock MK. Ringing the alarm on suicide prevention: a call to action. Psychiatry 2021; 84:192–195.
    1. Curtin SC. State suicide rates among adolescents and young adults aged 10–24: United States, 2000–2018. Natl Vital Stat Rep 2020; 69:1–9.
    1. Asarnow JR, Chung B. Editorial: COVID-19: lessons learned for suicide prevention. J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discip 2021; 62:919–921.
    1. Yard E, Radhakrishnan L, Ballesteros MF, et al. Emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts among persons aged 12-25 years before and during the COVID-19 pandemic — United States, January 2019-May 2021. MMWR Recomm Rep 2021; 70:888–894.

Publication types