Recent studies show an increasing number of suicide cases among Black children in the last three decades.
Although non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaskan native boys and girls have the highest rate of suicide, Black children have an increasing rate, CNN reported.
Amy Green, director of research for the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization, spoke with CNN and said Black teens lack access to mental health services.
“Over time and particularly with Black boys, we have seen this troubling trend in a couple other studies. The fact that we are seeing this, especially with younger ages, is concerning,” Green told CNN. “Because so much of this is newer, there isn’t a lot of data about why, but some of the factors are stressors like discrimination and the experience people have with discrimination and microaggressions.”
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The Journal of Pediatrics said Black boys have been attempting suicide at an increasing rate since 1991.
Focusing on 198,540 high school students from 1991 to 2017, the study shows a decrease in suicide attempts among other races, but an opposite trend for Black teenage boys.
“Black youth have experienced an increase in suicide attempts, which is troubling because attempts are the most prominent risk factor associated with suicide death,” the study concludes. “For Black boys, a significant increase in injury by attempt occurred, which suggests that Black boys may be engaging in increasingly lethal means when attempting suicide.”
Source: Study Finds Suicide Rates Among Black Children Are Rising
