WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- Despite suicide rates traditionally being higher among whites than blacks across all age groups, a new study from Nationwide Children's Hospital shows that suicide rates are roughly double among black children under the age of 13 compared with white children.
In the newly released study, researchers found that racial disparities in suicide rates are related to age. Suicide rates for black children between the ages of 5 and 12 were roughly about double the amount of those among same-aged white children.
For children between the ages of 13 and 17, the study shows that suicide rates are about 50 percent lower among black children than in white children.
The study examined data of suicides that happened between 2001 and 2015 for people between the ages of 5 and 17. A total of 1,661 suicides were reported among black children and 13,341 suicides happened among white children. Researchers determined that the overall suicide rate was about 42 percent lower among black children.
“The existing literature does not adequately describe the extent of age-related racial
disparities in youth suicide, and understanding these differences is essential to creating
targeted prevention efforts,” said Dr. Bridge, also a professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and
Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
At this time, researchers have not determined the potential reasons behind the differences.
“We lacked information on key factors that may underlie racial differences in suicide,
including access to culturally acceptable behavioral health care or the potential role of death
due to homicide among older black youth as a competing risk for suicide in this subgroup,”
Dr. Bridge explained.
If you or someone you know need free and confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.
