Report: Increase in young Americans’ suicides and homicides, ages 10 – 24, are rising sharply

In a shocking new report, homicide rates and suicide rates for America’s youth, ages 10 through 24, have taken a sharp rise. NBC News referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) latest report which examined the homicide and suicide rates among those age groups during the years 2001 to 2021. That report revealed that the homicide rate for older U.S. teenagers rose to its highest point in nearly 25 years during the COVID-19 pandemic; and the suicide rate for adults in their early 20s was the worst in more than 50 years.

The homicide rate for older teenagers in the United States and the suicide rate for those in their early 20s rose during the pandemic to its highest, according to new research. https://t.co/zSwN3wAlP8
— The Hill (@thehill) June 15, 2023

Deaths due to suicide and homicide, often referred to collectively as “violent deaths,” have been a leading cause of premature death to people aged 10–24 in the United States. A previous version of this report with data through 2017 showed that suicide and homicide rates for people aged 10–24 were trending upward. This latest report from the CDC updates the previous report using the most recent data from the National Vital Statistics System and presents trends from 2001 through 2021 in suicide and homicide rates for people aged 10–24 and for age groups 10–14, 15–19, and 20–24.

Suicide rates for people aged 10–24 increased from 2007 through 2021, while homicide rates increased from 2014 through 2021

The suicide rate among people aged 10–24 remained stable from 2001 through 2007 and then increased 62% from 2007 through 2021 (from 6.8 deaths per 100,000 to 11.0) (Figure 1).
The homicide rate did not change significantly from 2001 through 2006, declined 28% from 2006 through 2014 (from 9.3 to 6.7), and then increased 60% through 2021 (10.7).
During 2001–2021, the largest annual increase in the homicide rate was from 2019 through 2020 (37%, from 7.8 to 10.7), and the largest annual increase in the suicide rate was from 2016 through 2017 (10%, from 9.6 to 10.6).
Although suicide rates surpassed homicide rates in 2010 for people aged 10–24, by 2020, rates were similar due to the increase in homicide rates from 2019 through 2020.

Ace News Today - Report: Increase in young Americans’ suicides and homicides are rising sharply

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For those ages 10–14, suicide rates increased from 2007 through 2018, while homicide rates increased from 2016 through 2020

The suicide rate for people aged 10–14 declined from 2001 through 2007 (from 1.3 deaths per 100,000 to 0.9), tripled from 2007 through 2018 (from 0.9 to 2.9), and then did not change significantly through 2021 (Figure 2).
Homicide rates for people aged 10–14 declined from 2001 through 2016 (0.9 to 0.7), doubled through 2020 (1.4), and then remained unchanged in 2021.
During 2001–2021, the largest annual increase in the homicide rate was from 2019 through 2020 (56%, from 0.9 to 1.4), while the largest annual increase in the suicide rate was from 2008 through 2009 (30%, from 1.0 to 1.3).
The suicide rate for people aged 10–14 was higher than the homicide rate from 2001 through 2005, similar from 2006 through 2008, and higher again from 2009 through 2021.

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Suicide rates for people aged 15–19 increased from 2009 through 2017, while homicide rates increased from 2014 through 2021

The suicide rate for people aged 15–19 did not change significantly from 2001 through 2009, then increased 57% from 2009 through 2017 (from 7.5 deaths per 100,000 to 11.8). From 2017 through 2021, the trend did not change significantly (Figure 3).
Homicide rates for people aged 15–19 increased from 2001 (9.3) through 2006 (10.5), declined from 2006 through 2014 (6.7), and then increased 91% through 2021 (12.8).
During 2001–2021, the largest annual increase in the homicide rate was from 2019 through 2020 (38%, from 8.9 to 12.3), while the largest annual increase in the suicide rate was from 2016 through 2017 (18%, from 10.0 to 11.8).
In 2001, the homicide rate for people aged 15–19 was higher than the suicide rate and remained higher through 2010. From 2011 through 2019, the suicide rate was higher than the homicide rate, but homicide rates surpassed suicide rates again in 2020.

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Suicide rates for people aged 20–24 increased from 2001 through 2021, while homicide rates increased from 2014 through 2021

The suicide rate for people aged 20–24 increased 63% from 2001 through 2021 (from 11.9 deaths per 100,000 to 19.4), with a greater pace of increase from 2012 through 2021 (4% annually, on average) than from 2001 through 2012 (1% annually) (Figure 4).
The homicide rate declined 30% from 2001 through 2014 (from 17.2 to 12.1), increased 49% through 2020 (18.0), and remained stable in 2021.
During 2001–2021, the largest annual increase in the homicide rate was from 2019 through 2020 (34%, from 13.4 to 18.0), while the largest annual increase for suicide occurred from 2020 through 2021 (9%, from 17.8 to 19.4).
From 2001 through 2009, the homicide rate for people aged 20–24 was higher than the suicide rate, rates were not significantly different from 2010 through 2012, and then the suicide rate became higher than the homicide rate from 2013 through 2019. Rates were not statistically different in 2020, then became higher again for suicide in 2021.

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The CDC summarizes their report by pointing out that in 2021, suicide and homicide were the second and third leading causes of death, respectively, for people aged 10–24 and among the top four leading causes of death for the individual age groups 10–14, 15–19, and 20–24.

After a period with no significant change in trends from 2001 through 2006–2007, suicide rates for people aged 10–24 increased through 2021, and homicide rates declined through 2014 and then increased through 2021.

Homicide rates were lower than suicide rates from 2011 through 2019, but the rates converged by 2020. This change was due to the relatively large annual increase in the homicide rate from 2019 through 2020. For age groups 10–14, 15–19, and 20–24, both suicide and homicide rates increased during the period, with the increases in suicide rates beginning earlier than homicide rates.

The largest annual increases in homicide rates for all groups were from 2019 through 2020, and the largest annual increases in suicide rates were from 2008 through 2009 for those aged 10–14, from 2016 through 2017 for those aged 15–19, and from 2020 through 2021 for those aged 20–24.

In 2021, the suicide rate was higher than the homicide rate for people aged 10–14 and 20–24, while the homicide rate was higher for people aged 15–19.

According to NBC News in New York, suicide death rates in children and teens were rising before COVID-19, but they jumped up at the beginning of the pandemic. Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, a psychiatrist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said the reasons may be hard to pinpoint, but that isolation during COVID-19 lockdowns could be a factor.

“There is a misperception that if you talk to young people about depression, they’ll get depressed. A don’t-ask, don’t-tell policy for depression is not effective,” Trivedi said. “The earlier we can identify the ones who need help, the better chance we’ll have at saving lives.”

If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741, anytime.

The homicide rate for older U.S. teenagers rose to its highest point in nearly 25 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. And the suicide rate for adults in their early 20s was the worst in more than 50 years. That's according to a CDC report released today https://t.co/A5ZyoCEmjO
— KTVN 2 News (@KTVN) June 15, 2023