Suicide among children, adolescents, and young adults--United States, 1980-1992

Abstract

Suicide was the fifth leading cause of years of potential life lost before age 65 years in 1990 (CDC, unpublished data, 1995). During 1980-1992, a total of 67,369 persons aged < 25 years (i.e., children, adolescents, and young adults) committed suicide and, in 1992, persons in this age group accounted for 16.4% of all suicides. From 1952 through 1992, the incidence of suicide among adolescents and young adults nearly tripled. One of the national health objectives for the year 2000 is to reduce the suicide rate for persons aged 15-19 years by > 25% to 8.2 per 100,000 persons (objective 7.2a). This report summarizes trends in suicide among persons aged 25 years from 1980 through 1992 (the latest year for which complete data are available).