Teen Suicide Rates and How to Combat Them

Abstract

By Logan Pennington, Nursing; Ryann Pedoto, Nursing; Rylie Dunnette, Nursing

Advisor: Caroline Morrison

Award: Excellence in Research Communication

Presentation ID: 241

Abstract: In 2018, suicide was the second leading cause of death from ages 10-24 in America. This number has been on the rise in the past two decades and does not appear to be showing any signs of improvement. Mental health concerns carry a stigma and many teens do not get the opportunity to openly discuss and learn about mental health issues. Research shows that education on mental health helps adolescents better recognize suicidal behavior and leads to earlier intervention, which is key in preventing suicide attempts. We created a presentation over mental health disorders, coping strategies, having discussions about mental health, and resources available. The presentation was given to two different groups of adolescents. One was given to Beavercreek Youth Council and another to Wesley Chapel Mission Center. Though the demographics of the groups varied, the results were pretty standard. The pretest and post test quizzed the teenagers on depression/anxiety, coping strategies, and approaching a peer about mental health. Both groups showed an average of a 30% increase in test scores from the pretest to the post test showing an increased awareness of general mental health issues. A survey was also given after the presentation to gauge the adolescents interest in mental health. The results showed that 80% of the teenagers that were shown the presentation "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that this content would be useful in their school, helped them better understand mental health, and helped them better understand how to approach someone about mental health.