Suicide is by far the riskiest self-injurious behaviors among youth today.

Fighting and aggression comprise another group of self-injurious behaviors.

It is second to vehicular accidents as the leading cause of death among those 15-34 years of
age.

Nationally, 3 percent of teens report having been involved in physical fighting over the last year.
Research one of these high risk behaviors. Provide:
1. in-depth information on causes of this behavior,
2. demographics and
3. statistics as well as
4. health promotion interventions and
5. community resources.

Suicide

1. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008), suicide
is the third leading cause of death in adolescents 15 to 19 years of age (as
cited in Kyle & Carman, 2013, p 204). Office of Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion (2017) has identified several risk factors for suicide such
as depression, history of previous suicide attempt, poor school performance,
substance abuse, giving away valued possessions, and incarceration.

1. Varcarolis (2013) underscores the fact that people who attempt or complete suicide often
have poor critical thinking skills, have troubled emotional lives, and have a low threshold for
emotional pain (p. 448). More than 90% of persons who attempt suicide have a major
psychiatric disorder. The most common mental health disorders leading to suicide include major
depression, substance abuse, schizophrenia, and severe personality disorders (Rhoads &
Murphy, 2015, p. 70). Mann (2011) cites a number of clinical studies that indicate factors that
are thought to contribute to an increased risk for suicide. Such factors include
aggressive/impulsive traits, hopelessness, or pessimistic traits, substance abuse and
alcoholism, a history of physical or sexual abuse during childhood, a history of head injury or
neurological disorder, and cigarette smoking (as cited in Varcarolis 2013, p. 448).

2 / 3. In terms of demographics, the suicide rates for black and white women are the lowest,
with white females committing suicide than black females. Females had a lower suicide rate
than males (5.8 versus 20.7 per 100,000 population, age adjusted). The rate for males was
more than 3.5 times the rate for females. Female suicide rates peak through midlife and then
subsequently decline. Black males represent the next highest group of suicides, with these men
experiencing two peaks - first in young adulthood and second in old age. Males accounted for
20.7 suicides per 100,000 population whereas females accounted for only 5.8 suicides per
100,000 in 2014. However, the highest rates of suicide overall are for white men at every point
in life (Conwell, Van Orden, & Caine, 2011; Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
2017).

4. Health Promotion interventions

5. Community resources ..

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Youth suicide. Suicide prevention.
Retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/Suicide/youthsuicide.htm

Conwell, W., Van Orden, K., & Caine, E. D. (2011). Suicide in older adults. In G. S.
Alexopoulos, & D. N. Kiosses (Eds.), Psychiatric clinics of North America, 34(2).

Kyle, T., & Carman, S. (2013). Essentials of pediatric nursing (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Mann, J. J. (2011). Neurobiological aspects of suicide. Retrieved May 28, 2011, from:
http://www.omh.state.ny./omhweb/savinglives/volume 2/ neurobiogical.html.

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2017). Mental Health. In Healthy People
2020. Retrieved from:
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/2020-lhi-topics/Mental-Health/dat
a

Rhoads, J., & Murphy, P. J. M. (2015). Clinical consult to psychiatric nursing for advanced
practice. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC

Varcarolis, E. M. (2013). Essentials of psychiatric mental health nursing: A communication

approach to evidence-based care (2nd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier