A large-scale study from #TheUniversityofToledo of young #AfricanAmericans who have attempted or died by #suicide suggests there is a greater need for #mentalhealthservices in urban school districts, and that we need to do a better job in convincing parents and caregivers to safely secure firearms and ammunition in the home. Taking those measures, Dr. James Price said, could save lives.
Price, UToledo professor emeritus of health education and public health at UToledo, recently authored the largest study to date that examines suicidal behaviors of African American adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Community Health, found the rate of suicide deaths among young black males increased by 60 percent from 2001 through 2017. Researchers documented a 182 percent increase in the rate of suicide deaths of young black females during that same time period.
Georgia had the highest rate in the nation, at 5.8 per 100,000 people, between 2015 and 2017. Following that was Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio.
“There are far more #AfricanAmerican adolescents attempting #suicide than has been recognized in the past, and their attempts are starting to be much more lethal,” Price said.
Currently, #suicide is the second leading cause of death after homicide for #AfricanAmericans between the ages of 13 and 19, and the rate continues to climb. Equally troubling is that the methods black youth are using in #suicide attempts are among the most lethal.
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#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
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Price and a co-researcher at Ball State University found 52 percent of the 560 males aged 13 to 19 who died by suicide from 2015 to 2017 used firearms — a method for which the fatality rate approaches 90 percent. Another 34 percent used strangulation or suffocation, which has a fatality rate of about 60 percent.
Among the 204 females who died by #suicide over that time period, 56 percent used strangulation or suffocation and 21 percent used firearms.
“When we look at research with these adolescents, we find that they report their attempt to suicide is a cry for help. Two-thirds of the kids didn’t really want to die, but they’re using the most lethal form of attempting suicide,” Price said. “If you can have those lethal forms of suicide inaccessible to them, then that period of crisis and not seeing the irreversibility of this impulsive decision will pass. And with adequate #mentalhealthservices available to young people, you may actually reduce the chance they’ll do that act again.”
Previous surveys have found that among inner-city elementary school students whose parents own a handgun, three-quarters knew where the gun was kept.
Keeping firearms locked away unloaded and separate from ammunition unequivocally would reduce unintentional firearm injuries and impulsive #suicide attempts, Price said.
The research also suggests a far greater need for #mentalhealthservices in #AfricanAmerican communities. Public health researchers have repeatedly documented that black youth are less likely than the youth population as a whole to receive adequate #mentalhealth treatment, setting the stage for situations that contribute to self-harm.
“What needs to be done early on is to make sure that young people have adequate access to #mentalhealth-care services, and mental health-care services have always taken a backseat to other forms of health care,” Price said. “If you look at where young people in urban areas, especially adolescents, are getting mental health care, it’s in the schools.”
Previous studies have found increasing #mentalhealth access in urban public schools could reduce #suicide attempts by as much as 15 percent, Price said.
“While that doesn’t solve all the problems, it’s a good first step toward reducing the problem toward severe self-violence,” he said.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
