CDC: The suicide rate among children aged 10 through 14 has nearly tripled from 2007 to 2017

The suicide rate among children aged 10 through 14 has nearly tripled from 2007 to 2017, while the suicide rate among older teenagers has increased by 76 percent between 2007 and 2017, new federal data show.

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, the suicide rate among 10 through 24-year-olds has increased 56 percent over the last decade as violent deaths (suicide and homicide) continue to be leading causes of death for that age bracket.

In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 14, teenagers 15 to 19, and young adults ages 20-24.

Meanwhile, homicide ranked as the third most common cause of death for teens aged 15-19 and adults aged 20-24, and the fifth most common cause for children aged 10-14.

“After a stable period from 2000 to 2007, suicide rates for persons aged 10-24 increased from 2007 to 2017, while homicide rates increased from 2014 to 2017,” the report explains.

“The pace of increase for suicide was greater from 2013 to 2017 (7 percent annually, on average) than from 2007 to 2013 (3 percent annually).”

Although it declined from 2000 to 2007, the suicide rate for children ages 10 through 14 has nearly tripled from 2007 (0.9 deaths per 100,000 persons) to 2017 (2.5 deaths per 100,000 persons). 

Though stable from 2000 to 2007, the suicide rate for U.S. adolescents aged 15 to 19 increased from 6.7 per 100,000 persons in 2007 to 11.8 per 100,000 persons in 2017. The pace of increase was greater from 2014 to 2017 with an increase of 10 percent per year on average.

“Not only is suicide trending upward, but the pace of increase is actually accelerating,” said the report’s co-author, Sally Curtin, in an interview with NPR.