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Abstract
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Between 2014 and 2017, the incidence of suicide increased 10% annually among US youth aged 15 to 19 years.1 Rural youth have a greater incidence of suicide than urban youth,2 a geographic disparity that has increased over time.2,3 From 2010 to 2018, the incidence of suicide among youth aged 10 to 19 years increased 1.5 times faster in rural areas compared with urban areas.4
Low health care practitioner density is associated with higher suicide rates,5 and youth in rural counties have access to fewer mental health services than those in urban and suburban counties.6 Previous research on rural and urban youth mental health services did not reflect the spectrum of rurality and did not examine the availability of suicide prevention services.6 The current study used 2 taxonomies of rurality to document the distribution of US mental health facilities that serve youth and offer suicide prevention services.
The distribution of mental health facilities was comparable across US metropolitan, micropolitan, and small town areas. However, highly rural areas had fewer facilities in general--and fewer suicide prevention services in particular--compared with more urban areas.
This study had some limitations. It investigated the availability of suicide prevention services and did not examine service use. Other limitations include facility self-report of services and inability to verify the specific nature, capacity, or types of services provided.
Given the higher rates of suicide deaths among rural youth, it is imperative that the distribution of and access to mental health services correspond to community needs. Improving availability of mental health care in rural areas, alongside interventions to increase awareness, decrease stigma, and reduce access to lethal means of suicide, are critical for addressing rural-urban disparities in youth suicide.
Language: en |