The relationship between the frequency of alcohol use and suicide rates in young people

Suicide is an important public health problem and one of the leading causes of death among adolescents. In the United States, the death rate from suicide amongst 15-19 year olds doubled between 1960 and 2001. It has been suggested that alcohol misuse contributed to this increase in suicide rates among young people. We examined the relationship between the percentage of frequently drinking high school students and suicide rates among 15-24 year olds in 17 countries.

Correlations were computed to examine the relationship between suicide rates in 15-24 year old males and females and the percentage of frequently drinking students in 17 countries. Using median split, countries were divided into two groups according to the percentage of frequently drinking students. Suicide rates in countries with the lower percentage of frequently drinking students were compared to suicide rates in countries with the higher percentage of frequently drinking students using t-test.

There was a negative correlation between the percentage of frequently drinking students and suicide rates in both males (n=17, r = -0.51, p = 0.037) and females (n=17, r = -0.55, p = 0.023). The countries with the lower percentage of frequently drinking students had higher suicide rates in both 15-24 year old males (t = 2.25, df=15, p = 0.005) and females (t = 4.03, n=15, p = 0.001).

Suicide rates among 15-24 year old males and females were lower in the countries with the higher percentage of frequently drinking high school students. Our finding is consistent with the suggestion that "alcoholism tends to protect one against suicide early on, but after 20-25 years (if not earlier) it exacerbates suicide potential" (Maris, 1992). The results of this study should be treated with caution until replicated.