Running head: HIDDEN SECRETS 1
HIDDEN SECRETS 2
Hidden Secrets:
A look into Substance Use and Its Effects on Suicidality in African-American Boys
Cashell Lewis
George Warren Brown School of Social Work
Washington University in St. Louis
Introduction
Suicide has become a major issue in Black adolescents. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Black boys age 13 to 17 (CDC, 2014). That surpasses the number of deaths due to chronic diseases such as cancer, HIV and diabetes (CDC, 2014.). Additionally, CDC reports show that in 2014 there were 68 adolescents that completed suicide and 1131 reported attempts (CDC, 2014). This is a significant number, although not all suicide attempts are reported (Joiner, 2015). Furthermore, suicide accounted for 10 percent of deaths of adolescents in 2014 (CDC, 2014).
While the loss of life is significant there are other cost associated with suicide. The average medical cost associated with suicides is $5,518 per person (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). In addition to medical cost, the average work loss, cost is $1,684,460 (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). While medical and loss of work cost are very important they only take into account the numbers associated with the individual who commits suicide. It does not factor in other cost related to love ones, such as their emotional cost or toll suicides takes on the surviving family. This is why identifying the factors related to suicide is
The rate of suicide, the act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally, increases each year. “More adolescents die each year from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined” (Preventing Teen Suicide, 2016, p.2). These facts show suicide is a serious problem among teens. Last year, teen suicide became the second leading cause of death in the United States confirming the significant increase in teen suicides.
From 2011 to 2015, teen suicide has transformed into a consequential issue within the United States of America. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among American teenagers between the ages of twelve and eighteen, and is the third leading cause of death for those aged ten to fourteen. Back in 2011, the suicide death rate for those teenagers aged thirteen to nineteen was 6.74 per 100,000, an aggregate of 2,014 teens. Suicide also accounted for 17 percent of U.S. teenage deaths in the year 2011, second only to unintentional injuries, accounting for 39 percent. In 2013, 8 percent of
Substantial cost of suicide exists within American society. The National Institute of Medical Health (NIMH, 2017), asserts that in 2013 suicide cost the United States economy 50.8 billion dollars. However, the CDC (2015) estimated in 2010, the cost of 44 billion dollars with 1,164,499 dollars spent per suicide for individuals over the age of ten. This cost reflects medical treatment and loss in productivity. Unfortunately, CDC (2015) reports that most individuals who engage in suicidal behavior never go on to seek treatment for their mental illness.
In this source features statics of the teen suicide stating that teen suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in adolescence ages 11 to 15 it goes on to say that from 2003-2015 suicide has claimed the lives of over 5,500 youth. It was sound that there was a pattern of similarities between the youth that varied in race from Caucasian, African American, and Asian. There were relationship problems, mostly with their parents. Data also revealed that the individuals showed progression towards suicidal behavior. This source is full of factual information regarding suicide without bias. Therefore it was very useful in my research. I found the source on EBSCO by searching teen suicide in the search bar.
There is at least 113 suicides each day or 1 every 13 minutes. Suicide among males is the seventh leading cause of death and the fourteenth leading cause in females. Most suicides are with a firearm and are carried out with a “ Saturday night special”. (Dilaura,Cynthia DiLaura) “More than 90 percent of suicide attempts with a gun are fatal. “ (Brady Campaign) There are a number of reasons why suicide occurs. Stress is the number one cause among our youth, bullies, peer pressure, depression, and abuse. 41,100 people committed suicide in the United States in 2013. Our young teens today does not take time to look deeper into there problem and to seek out a better solution. They are looking for a quick fix but not realizing once the trigger is pulled the result is final with no turning back. Most people who has attempted suicide is more likely to try a second attempt and most have an underlying mental illness. There is many warming that someone may be in a suicide crisis. We most learn how to see things through their eyes. No matter what one is facing in life or the difficult that lie ahead of them Nothing is worth taken your own
Consequently, the economic impact of completed suicides in 2010 falls around $44 billion annually. This is because the economic burden tends to effect working age citizens more often than those who commit suicide (2015). However, non-fatal suicide attempts cost around $2 billion annually for hospitalization costs, and another $4.3 billion is spent on indirect costs such as the loss of wages over an extended period of time (2015). Although these costs seem to be more of a private trouble rather than a
While the loss of life is significant, there are other cost associated with suicide. The average medical cost associated with suicides is $5,518 per person (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). In addition to medical cost, the average work loss, cost is $1,684,460 (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). Medical cost and loss of work cost are very important, but they only take into account the numbers associated with the individual who committed suicide. It does not factor in the cost of failed attempts or other cost related to love ones, such as their emotional cost or toll suicides takes on the surviving family members. This is why identifying the factors related to suicide is very important.
While the loss of life is significant, there are other costs associated with suicide. The average medical cost associated with suicides is $5,518 per person (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). In addition to medical cost, the average work loss cost is $1,684,460 (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). Medical cost and loss of work cost are very important, but they only take into account the numbers associated with the individual who committed suicide. It does not factor in the cost of failed attempts or other cost related to love ones, such as their emotional cost or toll suicides takes on the surviving family members. This is why identifying the factors related to suicide is very important.
Medical care in America is estimated to cost $2.7 trillion each year with roughly 30 percent of that cost attributed to ineffective or redundant care, approximately $800 billion (America's Health Insurance Plans, 2014; FOX, 2010). Within this section $44.6 billion is attributed to suicide treatment and medical cost (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The CDD further estimates that with approximately 40,000 people dying of suicide annually suicide contributes to the 10th leading cause of death for Americans, narrowly being outstrode by kidney disease and influenza yet still achieving a higher overall medical cost than the ninth and eighth ranked causes of death (Keren, Zaoutis, Saddlemire, Luan, & Coffin, 2006;Webberley, 2015).
Suicide has become a major issue in Black adolescents, suicide is the third leading cause of death for Black boys age 13 to 17 (CDC, 2014). That surpasses the number of deaths due to chronic diseases such as cancer, HIV and diabetes (CDC, 2014.). CDC reports show that in 2014 there were 68 adolescents that completed suicide and 1131 reported attempts (CDC, 2014). Not all suicide attempts are reported. Suicide accounted for 10 percent of deaths of adolescents in 2014 (CDC, 2014). While the loss of life is significant there are other cost associated with suicide. The average medical cost associated with suicides is $5,518 per person (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). The average work loss cost $1,684,460 (CDC, 2010, National Vital Statistics System). Those financial numbers only take into account the numbers associated with the individual who commits suicide. It does not factor into other cost related to love ones, such as the emotional cost or toll suicides plays on the family.
Depression and suicide are two significant global public health concerns. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that there are 350 million people that suffer from depression (WHO, 2015a). Also, over 800,000 deaths from suicides occur each year (WHO, 2015b). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, year), approximately 18.8 million (9.5 percent) American adults, have a depressive disorder each year (CDC, 2013b). The CDC (2015) also reported that in 2014, there were 42,773 suicides representing a rate of 12.93 per 100,000 persons. Depression and suicide are common among African Americans. According to The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Data Brief report, depression rates are highest
The CDC Suicide Facts at a Glance (2015) provided the following statics, “ Suicide is the third leading cause of death among persons aged 10-14, the second among persons aged 15-34 years, the fourth among persons aged 35-44 years, the fifth among persons aged 45-54 years, the eighth among person 55-64 years, and the seventeenth among persons 65 years and older.” Males have a four times higher rate than females for suicide and make up 77.9%, and firearms are the most commonly used method for males making up 56.9% (CDC, 2015). Females are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and poisoning is the most common methods for females making up 34.8%. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015).
Suicide is the third leading cause of deaths in adolescents in the United States. Teen suicide is also often referred to as a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Teens so often are suicidal and attempt suicide as a call for help from others. They have no intention in dying they are just trying to cry out for help from anyone that will listen. Many reasons cause teen to attempt suicide, varying from bullying to psychological disorders. In fact, psychological disorders accounts for about 90% of teens who attempt or commit suicide. Teenagers are also at higher risk of suicide when they are under
Teen suicide is a major problem in our society today. The adolescent suicide rate has tripled since 1960, while being the largest cause of death between the ages of 15 and 24. This is the one single age group that has seen an increase in suicides over the past thirty years. There are about 10,000 reported suicides reported annually. It is estimated however, that the true number of teen suicides is actually three to four times that number when unreported deaths are factored in.
The researchers analyzed numerous surveys to determine when the rise of depression cases began and what may have contributed to the rising number. According to the 2017 report from Center for Disease Control and Prevention, depression and suicide are significant public health concerns with more than 40,000 Americans dying by suicide each year.