Suicidal ideation, plan and attempt among adolescents in Houston Texas: a trend and cross-sectional analysis of the youth risk behavior survey 2011-2019 in the United States.

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the trends in the prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempts among adolescents in Houston, Texas, USA, from 2011 to 2019. Furthermore, we assessed the risk factors associated with suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt among adolescents in Houston in 2019.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis of Houston district's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) from 2011 to 2019. It included 11,178 adolescents aged 11-15 years in Houston middle schools. The overall and stratified (by gender, race, and ethnicity) prevalence rates were evaluated between 2011 and 2019. Factors associated with suicidal ideation, plan, and attempts in 2019 were assessed using multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Suicidal ideation among adolescents increased by 2.74 % from 23.14 % in 2011-25.88 % in 2019. In 2019, we observed a 4.40 % increase in the prevalence of suicidal ideation from 2017 (21.48 %). The prevalence of suicidal plan increased by 3.76 % in 2019 (17.69 %) from 2011 (13.93 %) and by 3.99 % from 2017 (13.70 %). Suicide attempts among adolescents in Houston fluctuated from 2011 to 2019. However, there was a 1.19 % increase in prevalence in 2019 (11.62 %) compared to 2017 (10.43 %). Suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt were significantly associated with being female, Black, or African American, having ever carried a weapon, being bullied on school property, being bullied online, having ever had a cigarette, having ever had alcohol, having taken cocaine, and having used prescription pain medicine illegally/inappropriately.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found increasing rates of suicide ideation, plan, and attempts among Houston adolescents in middle schools between 2011 and 2019.