Risk factors associated with adolescent suicidality before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Psychology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had profound impacts on global populations.
• Youth mental health, particularly suicidal behaviors, is a significant public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth suicidal behaviors.
• To identify factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts in adolescents during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of two national surveys: the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES).
• Inclusion of 13,677 participants in YRBS 2019 and 7,705 participants in ABES 2021.
• Statistical analysis to determine prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA).

Main Results:

• In 2021, 19.9% of youth reported SI and 9.0% reported SA, compared to 18.6% SI and 8.9% SA in 2019.
• The highest prevalence of SI and SA was observed at age 14 in 2021.
• Key associated factors included parental abuse, sexual violence, substance misuse, and cyberbullying.
• Increased screen time (≥3 hours/day, non-school related) was associated with lower odds of SA but not SI.

Conclusions:

• The pandemic was associated with an earlier onset of adolescent suicidality, noted at age 14.
• The unexpected association between higher non-school related screen time and reduced suicide attempts requires further investigation and validation.