|
JOHNSON CITY
– A study published in the
current issue of the
Journal of School Health
sends a strong message about the
importance of preventing
substance abuse among teenagers
and raising awareness of the
warning signs of suicide.
Lead author
Dr. Michael Dunn, who is an
associate professor in East
Tennessee State
University’s College of
Public Health, said the study
found that a large percentage of
middle school students who had
initiated some type of substance
abuse behavior also reported
having thoughts about suicide,
and that some had actually
planned or attempted such an
event.
The study
involved more than 10,000 middle
school students at 10 sites
across Tennessee who completed
the Youth Risk Behavior
Survey.
“With
substance abuse alone, we found
that a large percentage of
adolescents had initiated use of
alcohol or illicit drugs at least
once,” Dunn said.
“From a public health
perspective, this is very
concerning. This is how
addictions begin, and we are
seeing sixth, seventh, and eighth
graders already participating in
risky behaviors that can be
detrimental to their
health.”
In addition,
the survey measured indicators
for suicide by asking the
students if they considered,
planned, or attempted
suicide. Approximately 28
percent of females and 19 percent
of males reported thinking about
suicide, while 19 percent of
adolescent girls and 13 percent
of boys said at one time they had
planned a suicide. Nearly
13 percent of teen girls and 7
percent of teen males actually
made an attempt.
“As the
data was analyzed, there was a
strong association between
substance abuse and suicidal
thoughts and behaviors,”
Dunn said. “It is
clear that prevention programs
for adolescent suicide and
substance abuse begin during the
middle school
years.”
Co-authors of
the article are Dr. Bruce
Goodrow, Research and Development
Coordinator, Rural Health Service
Consortium; Connie Givens,
Executive Director of Coordinated
School Health, Tennessee
Department of Education; and
Susan Austin, Evaluation
Coordinator, ETSU College of
Public Health. The study
was funded by the Tennessee
Coordinated School Health
Initiative through the Tennessee
Department of Education.
|
