Youth Risk Behavior Surveys

DECEMBER 2010
L O U I S I A N A
D E P A R T M E N T
O F
E D U C A T I O N
Youth Risk Behavior Surveys
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
LOUISIANA 2008 & 2009
Youth Risk Behavior
Surveys
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES 2008 & 2009
A BO U T S U I C IDE & YO U T H
S
uicide is the fourth leading cause
of death among adolescents aged
10-24 years in the United States.
Close to 90% of U.S. schools have
action plans for students who are at
risk for suicide, which generally involve
informing the student’s family, referring
the student to a mental health provider,
and requiring documentation of mental
health provider visit prior to the student’s
return to school.
L O U I S I A N A S TAT I S T I C S
In 2009, 31.2% of Louisiana students felt sad or hopeless, compared to 26.1% nationwide. There has been little change since 2008
in Louisiana, but a slight decrease nationally from 28.5% to 26.1% (Figure 1).
»» In 2009, female students (35.5%) were
»» In 2009, black students reported
»» Suicidal tendencies decreased with
more likely to feel sad or hopeless
slightly fewer suicidal tendencies
age in 2009 for 9th through 11th
than male students (26.1%) (Figure
than white students, but the
grade, with a slight increase from
1). The gap between the genders has
opposite was true in 2008. The
11th to 12th grade. 9th graders
lessened, with females decreasing and
difference between the races is only
showed the highest percent feeling
males increasing from 2008 to 2009.
a few percentage points.
sad/hopeless (Figure 1).
Percentage of Students
50
2008: Felt Sad or Hopeless*
40.0
40
30
30.6
29.1
28.5
27.7
30.9
33.3
31.6
11
12
20.3
20
10
31.3
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2007
Total
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
Grade Level
*Percentage of students that felt sad or hopeless every day for 2 or more weeks in a row so that they stopped doing some usual activities during
the 12 months before the survey.
Percentage of Students
50
2009: Felt Sad or Hopeless
40
36.6
35.5
32.0
31.2
30
30.6
29.7
26.1
26.1
U.S.
Total
2009
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
27.4
28.4
11
12
20
10
LA
Total
Total
FIGURE 1
9
10
Grade Level
S E R I O U S LY C O N S I DE R I N G AT T E M P T I N G S U I C I DE
In 2009, 14.4% of Louisiana students and 13.8% of students nationwide seriously considered attempting suicide, and this has
stayed relatively the same in the year between surveys (Figure 2).
»» More female students (15.5%)
»» There is relatively no difference
»» Fewer 12th grade students seriously
seriously considered suicide than
between black and white students
considered attempting suicide than
male students (13.1%) (Figure 2), but
with about 14% seriously considered
students in any other grade level
the gap has lessened since 2008.
attempting suicide in both 2008 and
(Figure 2) in both surveys.
2009 (Figure 2).
Percentage of Students
25
2008: Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide*
20
15
17.7
14.2
14.5
14.3
14.5
14.5
14.9
12.1
10.5
10
5
14.0
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2007
Total
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
12
Grade Level
*Percentage of students who seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months before the survey.
Percentage of Students
25
2009: Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide
18.3
20
15
14.4
15.1
13.8
13.1
14.2
15.2
14.3
15.6
10
6.6
5
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2009
Total
FIGURE 2
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
Grade Level
12
M A DE A S U I C I DE P L A N
In 2009, 11.6% of Louisiana students made a suicide plan during the past twelve months (Figure 3), similar to the result for 2008
(11.9%). National estimates of students who made a suicide plan are only slightly lower than in Louisiana, and did not change
much from 2008 to 2009.
»» More female students made a suicide plan than male
students (Figure 3).
in 2008 and 2009 (Figure 3).
25
Percentage of Students
»» Fewer 12th graders made a suicide plan than other grades
2008: Made a Suicide Plan*
20
15
13.6
11.9
11.3
9.8
10
5
13.2
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2007
Total
12.5
13.2
11.4
10.8
9.0
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
12
Grade Level
*Percentage of students who made a plan about how they would attempt suicide during the 12 months before the survey.
Percentage of Students
25
2009: Made a Suicide Plan
20
11.6
8.8
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2009
Total
FIGURE 3
11.8
10.9
10
5
14.8
14.3
15
12.6
10.4
10.5
7.4
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
Grade Level
12
AT T E M P T E D S U I C I DE
In 2009, 10.9% of Louisiana students attempted suicide one or more times during the past twelve months, a much higher rate
than nationally at 6.3% (Figure 4). Additionally, in Louisiana this is an increase from the previous year; whereas national rates
have remained fairly constant.
»» Both males and females have shown an increase in
»» Fewer black students (9.8%) attempted suicide than white
attempting suicide in one year, and percents are similar (9-
students (11.8%) in 2009, but the trend was opposite in 2008
11%) (Figure 4).
where more black students attempted suicide compared to
white students (Figure 4).
Percentage of Students
2008: Attempted Suicide*
15
10
9.2
8.9
10.3
9.4
9.2
7.5
6.9
8.3
9.0
10.0
5
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2007
Total
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
12
Grade Level
*Percentage of students who attempted suicide during the 12 months before the survey.
Percentage of Students
2009: Attempted Suicide
15
13.0
11.1
10.9
11.8
10.3
10
11.8
10.4
9.8
7.6
6.3
5
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2009
Total
FIGURE 4
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
Grade Level
12
AT T E M P T E D S U I C I DE W I T H I N J U R Y
In 2009, 4.9% of Louisiana students’ suicide attempts resulted in an injury, a higher rate than nationally at only 1.9%, and a 2
percentage point increase from 2008 (Figure 5). The national rate remained low from 2008 to 2009 at about 2%.
»» Male and female students who made
»» More black students attempted
»» Agreeing with other trends in
suicide attempts had almost identical
suicide with injury than white
suicide estimates, 12th graders had
rates in 2009 (about 5%), and both
students in both surveys (Figure 5).
the lowest percents compared to
have increased from 2008 (Figure 5).
other grades (Figure 5) for 2009.
Percentage of Students
2008: Attempted Suicide with Injury*
3.9
4
3.4
3
2.9
2.4
2.4
2.3
2.0
2
1
3.3
3.2
1.7
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2007
Total
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
12
Grade Level
*Percentage of students whose suicide attempt resulted in injury, poisoning, or an overdose that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse during the
12 months before the survey.
Percentage of Students
7
2009: Attempted Suicide with Injury
5.8
6
5
4.9
4.9
5.6
5.9
5.0
4.1
4
4.4
3.8
3
1.9
2
1
LA
Total
U.S.
Total
2009
Total
Female Male
White Black
Gender
Race
9
10
11
12
Grade Level
FIGURE 5
For more information on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, go to http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm.
STATE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY
AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Mr. Keith Guice
Mr. Dale Bayard
President
5th BESE District
7th BESE District
Mr. Walter Lee
Ms. Linda Johnson
Vice President
4th BESE District
8th BESE District
Ms. Louella Givens
Mr. John L. Bennett
Secretary-Treasurer
2nd BESE District
Member-at-Large
Mr. James D. Garvey, Jr.
Ms. Connie Bradford
1st BESE District
Member-at-Large
Ms. Glenny Lee Buquet
Ms. Penny Dastugue
3rd BESE District
Member-at-Large
Mr. Charles E. Roemer
Ms. Jeanette Vosburg
6th BESE District
Executive Director
F O R F U R T H E R I N F O R M AT I O N , C O N TA C T:
Raegan Carter Jones
Education Program Consultant
Louisiana YRBS Coordinator
Phone: 225.219.0363
Email: [email protected]
The mission of the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is to
ensure equal access to education and to promote equal excellence
throughout the state. The LDOE is committed to providing Equal
Employment Opportunities and is committed to ensuring that all
of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the
public. The LDOE does not discriminate on the basis of age, color,
disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or genetic information.
Inquiries concerning the LDOE’s compliance with Title IX and other
civil rights laws may be directed to the Deputy Undersecretary,
LDOE, Exec. Office of the Supt., PO Box 94064, Baton Rouge, LA
70804-9064; 877.453.2721 or [email protected]. Information
about the federal civil rights laws that apply to the LDOE and other
educational institutions is available on the website for the Office of
Civil Rights, USDOE, at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/.
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T: 504.301.9800 | F: 504.301.9801 | www.lphi.org
Louisiana Department of Education
1201 North Third Street | Baton Rouge, LA 70802-5243
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