Intersectionality in pandemic youth suicide attempt trends.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Mental Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic heightened societal distress, disproportionately affecting youth.
• Emergency department (ED) visits for suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults increased during the pandemic.
• Previous studies highlighted national trends, but lacked detailed racial and ethnic breakdowns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine racial and ethnic disparities in suspected suicide attempt ED visits among youth in Wisconsin.
• To analyze trends in suicide attempt ED visits by race, ethnicity, and age group from 2019 to 2021.

Main Methods:

• Utilized National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) data from Wisconsin hospitals (January 2019 - September 2021).
• Identified suspected suicide attempt visits using a CDC-developed query.
• Analyzed visit rates by age (12-17 and 18-25), gender, race, and ethnicity.

Main Results:

• A total of 8,915 ED visits for suspected suicide attempts were recorded among youth aged 12-25.
• Significant increases in ED visits for suicide attempts were observed between 2019 and 2021 for Black females (79%) and White non-Hispanic females (58%) aged 12-17.
• Hispanic females aged 12-17 showed no significant change, while Black females aged 18-25 maintained high, stable rates.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health challenges, leading to increased suicide attempt ED visits among specific youth demographics in Wisconsin.
• Racial and ethnic disparities exist in suicide attempt trends, with young Black and White females experiencing notable increases.
• Targeted public health interventions are crucial to address these disparities and support vulnerable youth populations.