Sex, Racial/Ethnic Disparities Apparent Among Adolescents with Suicidal Ideation

A study led by Dr. Yunyu Xiao, published in JAMA Network Open, highlights widening disparities in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among U.S. adolescents from 1991 to 2019. Drawing on national survey data from more than 183,000 high school students, the researchers found that while rates of suicidal ideation initially declined, they began to rise again after 2009—particularly among white, Black, and Hispanic female adolescents.

During the same period, suicide attempts increased significantly among certain groups, with a 68.4% rise among male adolescents overall and a 79.7% rise among Black male adolescents. These trends suggest that traditional prevention strategies may be failing to reach high-risk populations who are less likely to seek help.

The findings expose critical shortcomings in current suicide prevention efforts, especially for underserved youth facing stigma and systemic barriers to care. Dr. Xiao and colleagues urge the development of culturally responsive, demographically tailored interventions to better address the needs of vulnerable adolescents.