Little Or No Help For Two Million Californians Reporting Mental Health Needs

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 02 Dec 2011 - 0:00 PST

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Nearly 2 million adults in California, about 8 percent of the population, need mental health treatment, but the majority receive no services or inadequate services, despite a state law mandating that health insurance providers include mental health treatment in their coverage options, a new report by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research shows.

The report, which provides some of the first comprehensive data ever collected on the mental health of California's adult population, found that one in 12 Californians reported symptoms consistent with serious psychological distress and experienced difficulty functioning at home or at work.

Over half of these adults reported receiving no treatment for their disorders, and about one-quarter received "inadequate" treatment, defined as less than four visits with a health professional over the past 12 months or using prescription drugs to manage mental health needs.

The study draws on data from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), which is conducted by the center.

"There is a huge gap between needing help and getting help," said David Grant, the study's lead author and director of CHIS. "The data also shows large disparities in mental health status and treatment by demographic, economic and social factors. These findings can help direct the state's limited resources to those in greatest need of help."

Among the findings: Insurance

Unsurprisingly, uninsured adults had the highest rate of unmet needs (87 percent), which includes receiving no treatment or receiving less than minimally adequate treatment; 66 percent of these adults received no treatment. By contrast, 77 percent of privately insured and 65 percent of publically insured Californians reported unmet needs. Although poverty and mental health needs are strongly correlated, the lower rate of unmet needs by public program participants suggests that these programs are more likely to effectively offer mental health services than even private insurance policies.

Single parents under stress

Single adults with children had more than double the rate of mental health needs (17 percent) when compared with all adults (8 percent). Single adults without children had the next highest rate (11 percent). Married adults with or without children had the lowest rates of mental health needs (6 percent and 5 percent, respectively.)

U.S.-born Latinos have greater need than immigrants

Nearly 12 percent of Latinos born in the U.S. needed mental health treatment, almost twice the level of Latino immigrants.

Racial groups

Approximately 17 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives had mental health needs, the highest of all racial and ethnic groups. Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and multi-racial groups had the next highest rate, at 13 percent.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual adults

Nearly 20 percent of these adults needed mental health treatment - more than double the statewide rate.

Link to chronic health conditions

Compared to the general adult population, those with mental health needs had higher rates of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and asthma. They were more than twice as likely to report fair or poor health status and five times more likely to report poor health.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our mental health section for the latest news on this subject. The report was supported by a grant from the California Department of Mental Health Services.
Report and related fact sheet: "Adult Mental Health Needs in California."
The California Department of Mental Health Services has oversight of the state's public mental health budget, provides leadership for local county mental health departments. and evaluates and monitors public programs, among its many duties.
The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) is the nation's largest state health survey and one of the largest health surveys in the United States.
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Foster Kids Get More Psychiatric Drugs

Editor's Choice
Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Mental Health
Article Date: 03 Dec 2011 - 11:00 PST

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A Government Accountability Report released this Thursday showed America's foster children being prescribed powerful psychotropic drugs, at doses beyond what the Food and Drug Administration has approved. At a congressional hearing the same day, Thursday saw lawmakers discussing both the problems and possible solutions.

Obviously, those in foster care are more likely to have had elements of abuse or traumatic experiences during their upbringing, thus they are more likely to end up on medication, especially once they are labeled as problem children, hopping from one home to the next.

By way of example, three-quarters of the children who enter Maryhurst's program, a nonprofit agency for neglected or abused children in Kentucky, are on psychotropic drugs, but by the time they leave, well over half are on reduced or no medication at all.

Maryhurst president and CEO Judy Lambeth continued :

"Our children come to us on many medications, but over time we want to reduce the medication as much as possible and hopefully, to where they wouldn't need any at all. That's a fine balance, but we want them to be able to participate in the treatment and if they're overmedicated, they can't do that."

Medicaid, administered by individual states and overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides prescription drug coverage to foster children, so medication is clearly the easy way out a lot of the time.

A part of it also has to do with simplifying and streamlining care to hundreds or thousands of children at a time, who have ended up without official parents or guardians and thus in foster care.

However, the results are more shocking than simply a slight overuse of psychotropic drugs on foster kids, even if just for expediency.

Government Accountability Office (GAO) experts say there is more evidence of misuse, overuse and potential health risks than simply a statistic showing foster kids are on medication more than those with regular homes.

They examined five states Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Texas; cases include : The concomitant use of five or more psychotropic drugs for which there is no established benefitChildren prescribed doses higher than the maximum levels cited in guidelines developed by Texas based on FDA-approved labels.Children under 1 year old were prescribed psychotropic drugs.The GAO state that there are no established usages for mental health conditions in infants; providing them these drugs could result in serious adverse effects. Using higher than recommended doses exposes children to the risks of side effects and serious health problems.

Putting aside the creation of wanton costs for Medicaid, there is no medical precedent for using five or more psychotropic drugs on the same patient.

Selected states' monitoring programs for psychotropic drugs provided to foster children, seem to fall short of the guidelines published by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). The guidelines, which states are not required to follow, cover four categories : (1) Consent: Each state has some practices consistent with AACAP consent guidelines, such as identifying caregivers empowered to give consent. (2) Oversight: Each state has procedures consistent with some but not all oversight guidelines, which include monitoring rates of prescriptions. (3) Consultation: Five states have implemented some but not all guidelines, which include providing consultations by child psychiatrists by request. (4) Information: Four states have created websites about psychotropic drugs for clinicians, foster parents, and other caregivers. GAO recommended that The Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) begin endorsing guidance for states on best practices for overseeing psychotropic prescriptions for foster children. HHS agreed with the recommendation. Agency comments will be incorporated and addressed in a written report that will be issued in December 2011.

Written by Rupert Shepherd
Copyright: Medical News Today
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posted by Richard Wexler on 4 Dec 2011 at 1:53 am

Yes, foster children may have more mental health problems - some of them caused by being moved from foster home to foster home. But several factors suggest all those drugs are *not* needed:

--While all of the studied states use these meds on a shocking proportion of foster children, some are a lot more shocking than others. The range is from 19.7 percent in Oregon to 39.1 percent in Massachusetts. It is unlikely that Massachusetts foster children are twice as likely to have problems requiring medication as Oregon foster children.

--A Florida pilot project, discussed in the trade journal Youth Today had dramatic results, albeit among one subgroup reducing the use of meds 75 percent. Did the children in that subgroup suddenly get 75 percent healthier?

--But the “smoking gun” on these issues comes from some findings in Florida that are not in the study. Florida officials found that when a child is placed with a grandmother or other relative he is dramatically less likely to wind up on meds than when that child is placed in an institution, a group home, or even a foster home with a stranger.

It’s not hard to figure out why. Unlike the strangers, grandparents typically love the children they’re caring for – so they’ll put up with a lot more instead of rushing to seek a prescription to make a child docile and easier to manage.

In contrast, when it comes to doping up children the worst offenders are residential treatment centers. So the notion that a place like Maryhurst is a solution is ludicrous. Institutionalizing children is a major part of the problem.

You can’t fix this with another regulation because you can’t legislate love. Large numbers of children never needed to be taken from their parents in the first place – they are taken when, for example, family poverty is confused with “neglect.” The only way to significantly reduce the use of psychiatric medication in foster care is to significantly reduce foster care.

Richard Wexler
Executive Director
National Coalition for Child Protection Reform

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posted by Shirley on 4 Dec 2011 at 6:54 am

A drop in the bucket. Look and you will find that most Special Needs populations are on the same meds, need or no need. They are called "The drugs of choice" and Developmentally Delayed folks of all ages are routinely given these drugs, whether called for or not. Our doctor calls them "staff in a bottle". He does not prescribe this stuff, himself.
Another feature of giving these drugs might possibly be any profits that providers and down-the-line caregivers might receive for their parts in this sharing of the meds so widely. Who regulates this sort of thing? Anybody??

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posted by Dennis Knicely on 4 Dec 2011 at 12:45 pm

After decades of research, many realize side effects from use of psychotropic drugs can often lead to many more problems than simply using common sense, like giving children needed attention, love and non sexual affection.

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posted by Brandon on 5 Dec 2011 at 1:12 am

I just got out of Foster care and the medicine they put me on made me do worse...when I got out of Foster care and got off the medicine I did much better so the medicine is not helping
..go get on it yourself if you think it does

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Developing Nations Need Good Governance In Mental Health Research

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Academic Journal
Main Category: Mental Health
Article Date: 25 Nov 2011 - 7:00 PST

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Taghi Yasamy, from the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland, and colleagues pointed out the difficulties good mental health research governance in low- and middle-income countries face in this week's PLoS Medicine.

In addition, Yasamy and colleagues offer suggestions on how good mental health research can move forward.

The team acknowledge the need to organize the general direction of mental health research in order to deal with issues, such as research prioritization, organizational structure, relatively limited capacity and resource, as well as to balance costly investigations with evaluation of resources and services using inexpensive techniques.

The researchers, explain:

"Low resource countries face a range of challenges that leads to little or inappropriate research.

They need to use their limited financial and human resources for mental health research as effectively as possible. They need sound governance of their mental health research to achieve this."

Written by Grace Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our mental health section for the latest news on this subject. ”Responsible Governance for Mental Health Research in Low Resource Countries.”
Yasamy MT, Maulik PK, Tomlinson M, Lund C, Van Ommeren M, et al. (2011)
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posted by Dalpay on 26 Nov 2011 at 6:45 am

Mental hygiene is situational to cultural expectations and even then the Caste or Class to which an individual belongs. With international migration of medical personnel, the professional opine may be called into question. Ethical conduct of a Polynesian can not be adequately assessed by an Eskimo. A Catholic can not usually comment on the motive for behavior of a Hindu. While developing nations may need to explore a new Malleus Maleficarum of social expectations, it is not required they participate in Inquisition. The legacy of Behavioral Science is footnoted with witch hunts combining honest research with personal patterns of belief.

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A Harder Old Age Faced By Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Seniors

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Mental Health
Article Date: 18 Nov 2011 - 1:00 PST

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Aging and health issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender baby boomers have been largely ignored by services, policies and research. These seniors face higher rates of disability, physical and mental distress and a lack of access to services, according to the first study on aging and health in these communities.

The study, led by Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen and colleagues at the University of Washington's School of Social Work, indicates that prevention and intervention strategies must be developed to address the unique needs of these seniors, whose numbers are expected to double to more than 4 million by 2030.

"The higher rates of aging and health disparities among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults is a major concern for public health," said Fredriksen-Goldsen, a UW professor of social work and director of UW's Institute for Multigenerational Health. "The health disparities reflect the historical and social context of their lives, and the serious adversity they have encountered can jeopardize their health and willingness to seek services in old age."

She presented some of the study's key findings last week during a congressional briefing.

The study highlights how these adults have unique circumstances, such as fear of discrimination and often the lack of children to help them. Senior housing, transportation, legal services, support groups and social events were the most commonly cited services needed in the LGBT community, according to the study.

Fredriksen-Goldsen and her co-authors surveyed 2,560 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults aged 50-95 across the United States. The researchers found that the study participants had greater rates of disability, depression and loneliness and increased likeliness to smoke and binge-drink compared with heterosexuals of similar ages.

Those seniors are also at greater risk for social isolation, which is "linked to poor mental and physical health, cognitive impairment, chronic illness and premature death," Fredriksen-Goldsen said. Study participants were more likely to live alone and less likely to be partnered or married than heterosexuals, which may result in less social support and financial security as they age.

Histories of victimization and discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity also contribute to poor health. The study showed that 80 percent had been victimized at least once during their lifetimes, including verbal and physical assaults, threats of physical violence and being "outed," and damaged property. Twenty-one percent of respondents said they were fired from a job because of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Nearly four out of 10 had considered suicide at some point.

Twenty-one percent of those surveyed did not tell their doctors about their sexual orientation or gender identity out of fear of receiving inferior health care or being turned away for services, which 13 percent of respondents had endured. As one respondent, a 67-year-old gay man, put it, "I was advised by my primary care doctor to not get my HIV tested there, but rather do it anonymously, because he knew they were discriminating."

Lack of openness about sexuality "prevents discussions about sexual health, risk of breast or prostate cancer, hepatitis, HIV risk, hormone therapy or other risk factors," Fredriksen-Goldsen said.

The good news? "LGBT older adults are resilient and living their lives and building their communities," Fredriksen-Goldsen said. Of the study's respondents, 91 percent reported using wellness activities such as meditation and 82 percent said they regularly exercised. Nearly all - 90 percent - felt good about belonging to their communities. And 38 percent stated that they attended spiritual or religious services, indicating a promising social outlet.

Social connections are key, the study noted because, unlike their heterosexual counterparts, most lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors rely heavily on partners and friends of similar age to provide assistance as they age. While social ties are critical, there may be limits to the ability of those older adults to "provide care over the long-term, especially if decision-making is required for the older adult receiving care," Fredriksen-Goldsen said.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our seniors / aging section for the latest news on this subject. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging.
Other co-authors at the UW School of Social Work are Hyun-Jun Kim, research associate; Charles Emlet, professor; Elena Erosheva, associate professor; Charles Hoy-Ellis, graduate student, and Jayn Goldsen, project manager. Anna Muraco, assistant professor of sociology at Loyola Marymount University in California, and Heidi Petry, professor of nursing at Zurich University in Switzerland, also are co-authors.
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Suicide Risk Among Pregnant Women And New Mothers

Main Category: Depression
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics;  Mental Health
Article Date: 01 Dec 2011 - 1:00 PST

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Increased screening of pregnant women and new mothers for major depression and conflicts with intimate partners may help identify women at risk for suicide, a University of Michigan Health System-led analysis of federal data concludes.

Only a small percentage of women who take their own lives are pregnant or have recently become mothers, but their frequent interactions with the health care system may provide important opportunities for providers to intervene if risk factors are better understood, the researchers say.

Their findings were published online this month ahead of print publication in General Hospital Psychiatry.

"We have a more complete picture now of who these women are and what led up to these tragic events," says lead study author Katherine J. Gold, M.D., M.S.W., M.S., assistant professor of family medicine at the U-M Medical School. "These deaths ripple through families and communities and cause a lot of sorrow and devastation."

The study analyzed five years of suicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, which was introduced in 2003. The dataset is unique for linking multiple sources of information together to provide details that include demographics, pregnancy status, mental health and substance abuse status, and precipitating circumstances.

More than half of the women who killed themselves had a known mental health diagnosis, with mood disorder being the most common at 95 percent. Nearly half were known to have a depressed mood leading up to the suicide.

"Previous research has shown that depressive disorders affect 14-23 percent of pregnant and postpartum women and anxiety disorders affect 10-12 percent," says study senior author Christie Palladino, M.D., M.Sc., an obstetrician/gynecologist with Georgia Health Sciences University's Education Discovery Institute. "We've known that major depression is a factor in suicide for a long time.

"But this data tells us, for example, that pregnant and postpartum women had a much higher incidence of conflicts with intimate partners than their counterparts," Palladino continues.

Postpartum women were also more likely to have been identified as having a depressed mood in the two weeks prior to suicide than other women, the study found.

Also important, researchers found many similarities that did not vary significantly by pregnancy status: 56 percent of all victims had a known mental health diagnosis; 32 percent had previously attempted suicide; and 28 percent had a known alcohol or substance abuse issue at the time of death.

"Depression and substance use are risk factors for everyone, including pregnant and postpartum women," Gold adds.

The researchers also found that while education level and marital status were very similar across pregnant, postpartum and non-pregnant suicides, Hispanic women were far more likely to take their own lives while pregnant (10 percent of suicides among pregnant women) or within a year of pregnancy (9 percent of postpartum suicides) than when not pregnant (4 percent of non-pregnancy associated suicides).

The researchers acknowledge some inherent limitations of the data. Their sample of 2,083 suicides among women of plausible child-bearing age (15-54), was drawn only from the 17 states where data was available. It is also was impossible to interview the victims and get a full picture of mental health conditions, unreported domestic violence and other precipitating factors.

"As a society, we tend to avoid talking about suicide," Gold says. "But it's important to try to understand and talk about risk factors if we are going to address suicide from a public health perspective."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our depression section for the latest news on this subject. Additional authors: Sheila M. Marcus, M.D.; Vijay Singh, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.; both of U-M.
Funding: National Institutes of Health grant.
Disclosure: None.
Citation: "Mental Health, substance use, and intimate partner problems among pregnant and postpartum suicide victims in the National Violent Death Reporting System," General Hospital Psychiatry, doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2011.09.017
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Suicide, Warning Signs And Issues Faced By Friends And Family

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 24 Oct 2011 - 0:00 PDT

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A study focusing on the family and friends of people who were suicidal has highlighted the main challenges they face when trying to judge whether a person is in danger and decide what they should do about it.

The research was carried out by Dr. Christabel Owens from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, supported by Devon NHS Partnership Trust and funded by the UK Medical Research Council. The findings are published in the British Medical Journal on 22nd October 2011 (online 19th October 2011).

Researchers investigated 14 suicides aged 18-34 in London, the South West and South Wales, none of whom were receiving specialist mental health care. They asked relatives and friends of the deceased what they had witnessed in the period leading up to the suicide and how they had interpreted what they saw. In all, 31 lay informants (parents, partners, siblings, friends and colleagues) took part.

The findings of the research show that relatives and friends did not always receive clear and unambiguous warning signals from the suicidal individual, and that, even when it was obvious that something was seriously wrong, they could not always summon the courage to take action.

Family members and friends of those who may be contemplating suicide are confronted by powerful emotional blocks, particularly fear. They may be afraid of intruding into another person's emotional life or afraid of damaging a cherished relationship by 'saying the wrong thing'. The whole situation is emotionally charged, and that affects the way in which people respond.

Unlike conditions such as stroke, where national awareness campaigns have been built around the very obvious signals to look for, this study emphasises that for suicide there is no clear "if you see this, then do that" message - despite research literature suggesting that warning signs for suicide do exist.

Said Dr. Owens: "Even doctors with many years' training and experience find it very difficult to assess whether or not a person is at imminent risk of suicide. Family members and friends find themselves in uncharted territory, with no training and little public information to guide them. They may know that a relative or friend is troubled but have absolutely no idea that suicide is a possibility. The person may give very indirect hints, possibly when disinhibited by alcohol, that they are thinking of killing themselves, but it is difficult for others to know how seriously to take these messages and how to respond to them."

The study indicates that, where emotional or psychological pain is involved, people do not seek medical help lightly. For a person who is feeling overwhelmed and suicidal, consulting a doctor and confessing those feelings requires immense courage and is often a last resort. Said Dr. Owens: "It is sad that, in the course of our research, we have repeatedly come across examples of people who did go to their GP, were given a cursory risk assessment and sent home with little or no support, and subsequently killed themselves. In other cases, a relative has taken their concerns to a GP and asked for advice, and has been told that the case cannot be discussed with them for reasons of patient confidentiality and that the person must visit the GP themselves."

Having identified the challenges facing family and friends of the suicidal, the authors of this study will, in partnership with statutory and voluntary organisations, work on developing solutions.

Said Dr. Owens: "There are some suicide prevention skills training courses available, but they are not ideal for members of the general public, and we don't know how to get them to the people who need them. We still need to identify the key messages that we have to get across to people, and work out how to deliver them to relatives and friends of those who are at risk of suicide."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
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posted by Bryan Gibb on 24 Oct 2011 at 9:48 am

Thanks for your piece on this important topic. Allow us to suggest that there is a good course for the general public called Mental Health First Aid. This course is taught in 43 states by 1400 certified instructors and teaches how to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness, respond to crisis (including suicide risk) and refer to servics. We were fortunate to be the guest of NPR's Talk of the Nation last week if you would like to learn more. Take a look at our website - mentalhealthfirstaid.org if you like.

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posted by Ann Weeks on 24 Oct 2011 at 4:15 pm

At last some insight into what families go through. My son killed himself last December, and your right, these lost souls are so brave to go to the doctor in the first place, but once in the system are just monitored NOT HELPED, NO RECOVERY PLAN, ONLY DRUGS. Breaks my heart that I begged for help, but as his Mum was not allowed to be told anything, due to confidentiality. If people with Dementia can give family power of attorney to family, why can't 23 year olds that are terrified as been told their suffering from a mental illness, so confused and alone, not be given support by their family as it's for their own good. I would have spa t every penny on this earth to get him help, as apparently, THE NHS PROFESSIONALS, thought counselling was not an option to begin with - regretably when they did decide it might help, they wrote the referral on the day he died - coincidence or what! And strangely never received the letter, although in his medical notes. Inquest Ist November - he didn't stand a chance, once his work got his psychiatric report - they refused him work, told him he was a risk to the other staff and clients, that left him with NO FUTURE = MORE DEPRESSION = DEATH

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posted by Barb Hildebrand on 27 Oct 2011 at 2:36 pm

Really enjoyed reading this article that explained very well what those contemplating suicide as well as their families and loved ones experience.

I liked that you pointed out that even those trained in the field of medicine have a difficult time ascertaining who will or won't follow through and take their lives. It's a huge responsibility that many lay people place on themselves and they need to hear this to realize it isn't always possible nor is it their fault.

No matter where you live and what healthcare system is in place, not enough follow-up is being done with suicidal people who have attempted or have indicated they're considering suicide. We've got to figure out a better way and have the various organizations work together to coordinate better efforts and programs.

I'm in Canada, there's a great organization called LivingWorks who provide wonderful training for lay people. I've taken one of their courses called SAFETalk, it's 3 hours in total and makes you aware of what to look for, steps to take if someone is suicidal and how to get them help.

Thanks for this great post!

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One Suicide Every 15 Minutes In The USA

Editor's Choice
Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Preventive Medicine
Article Date: 21 Oct 2011 - 5:00 PDT

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A report published yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that, every 15 minutes an individual in the U.S. dies as a result of suicide. In addition it was revealed that for each individual who dies, several others are contemplating, planing or attempting suicide. In Utah, around 1 in 15 ( 6.8%) adults have serious thoughts of suicide compared to 1 in 50 (2.1%) adults in Georgia. The range for attempting suicide goes from 1 in 67 (1.5%) adults in Rhode Island to 1 in 1,000 adults in Georgia and Delaware (0.1%). This is the first report to expose state-level data regarding suicidal thoughts and behavior among adult individuals in the country.

Thomas M. Frieden, M.D. Director of CDC, explained:

"Suicide is a tragedy for individuals, families, and communities. This report highlights that we have opportunities to intervene before someone dies by suicide. We can identify risks that take action before a suicide attempt takes place.

Most people are uncomfortable talking about suicide, but this is not a problem to shroud in secrecy. We need to work together to raise awareness about suicide and learn more about interventions that work to prevent this public health problem."

2008-2009 data obtained from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) was analyzed by the CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Pam Hyde, Administrator at SAMHSA said:

"Suicide is a preventable tragedy. With this new data we will be able to work more effectively to reach people at risk and help keep them safe. For people in need, help is always available by calling 1-800-273-TALK/8255."

Findings from the data include: In the past year, over 2.2 million adults (1.0%) reported making suicide plans. These figures ranged from 2.8% in Rhode Island and 0.1% in Georgia.The prevalence of serious suicidal thoughts, planning or attempts were considerably higher among individuals aged between 18 to 29 years compared to those 30 years or older. In the past year, over 1 million adult individuals (0.5%) reported that they attempted suicide. These figures ranged from 1.5% in Rhode Island and 0.1% in Georgia and Delaware. Women had a considerably higher frequency of serious suicidal thoughts than men. Western states have consistently higher suicide rates, particularly states, such as Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico located in the Rocky Mountains. The current study looked at nonfatal behavior and discovered that the pattern was mixed: Individuals who lived in the West and Midwest were more likely to have suicide thoughts compared to those in the South and Northeast. Suicide plans were more likely in adults in the Midwest compared to individuals in the South. They also found that by region, suicide attempts did not vary. Linda C. Degutis, Dr.P.H., M.S.N., director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, explained:

"Multiple factors contribute to risk for suicidal behavior. The variations identified in this report might reflect differences in the frequency of risk factors and the social and economic makeup of the study populations. These differences can influence the types of prevention strategies used in communities and the groups included."

This investigation highlights how important it is to collect and use local information for prevention purposes. Continued observation is required in order to develop, implement, and analyze public health programs and policies that can lead to a reduction in deaths related to suicide thoughts, morbidity and behaviors. Potential prevention strategies include public education campaigns designed to focus on improving recognition of suicide risk, as well as cognitive-behavioral therapy, a more intensive strategy designed for individuals who have a higher risk, such as individuals who have attempted suicide. This therapy helps individual to change the way they think as well as helping them in the way they react to situations.

CDC's Injury Center works to prevent injuries and violence and their adverse health consequences. For further information regarding suicide prevention, please click here.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Web site.

Listing of evidence-based prevention interventions for suicide

Written by Grace Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our mental health section for the latest news on this subject. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Grace Rattue. "One Suicide Every 15 Minutes In The USA." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 21 Oct. 2011. Web.
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posted by Chris on 21 Oct 2011 at 8:20 am

I am thankful that the CDC is looking into this issue. Having had 2 suicides in my family both with guns, its leaves behind a family bewildered, confused and with terrible guilt on how the tragedy could have been prevented. The legacy to a family is one of heart break and riddled with what ifs to the survivors. I firmly believe that if a suicidal person could truly see the legacy left behind by their actions and the great mental hard it does to their families, no matter how depressed or saddened in the moment that they feel to compulsion, they would not commit the act.

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posted by Realist on 21 Oct 2011 at 8:32 am

Sure, it is a tragedy when someone commits suicide over an some emotional trauma that might be painful in the short run, but is insignificant in the long run. However, there are plenty of others who have, through some physical or psychological condition, been condemned to a life of pain and misery from which there is no escape. Some of these people are so troubled that they can't resist tormenting and abusing those around them. I don't consider it a tragedy when someone who has exhausted all available options for returning to a healthy life decides to end life itself. If said person has a history of violence, the ending of his or her life can even be considered a good thing. What I find intolerable are those who, without any basis in fact, claim that anyone, no matter what ails them, can have a fulfilling, productive life if they just commit themselves to that end. Unless these people are mind-readers, they have no way of knowing what hope or potential another person has, or what obstacles that person faces.

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posted by Harold A. Maio on 21 Oct 2011 at 8:58 am

Most people are 1. uncomfortable talking about suicide, but this is not a problem to 2. shroud in secrecy.

I do not believe the above. 1. I believe we talk, and 2. we do so openly.

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posted by flygirl on 21 Oct 2011 at 11:39 pm

I agree with Realist. I wish I had the option of suicide, but I have children and such a choice on my part would be a tragedy for them. I've always tried to be a good person, do all the right things but my life has been mostly full of emotional pain despite therapy, despite medication. Most days, I feel too defective to live. Intellectually, I know none of the junk in my head is real, but it is killing me slowly and painfully every day. I would end my life if I didn't think doing so would harm my children.

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posted by spacebunny on 22 Oct 2011 at 11:38 am

People who are thought to be mentally ill are stigmatized, profiled, and gossipped about. Just about the whole of society is sick and suicide is a byproduct of this.

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posted by Mary on 24 Oct 2011 at 11:43 am

If you are feeling suicidal, or know someone who does, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. They have Spanish speakers and also folks who work with the military. I have used their resources before and they are really a great help.

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