1995 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)

• Attempting Suicide

 

• 24.1% of students had thought seriously about attempting suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Female students (30.4%) were significantly more likely than male students (18.3%) to have thought seriously about attempting suicide.
• White students (24.9%) were significantly more likely than black students (20.0%) to have thought seriously about attempting suicide.
• Students in grade 11 (26.3%) were significantly more likely than students in grade 12 (20.0%) to have thought seriously about attempting suicide.
• 17.7% of students had made a specific plan to attempt suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Female students (21.3%) were significantly more likely than male students (14.4%) to have made a specific plan to attempt suicide.
• 8.7% of students had attempted suicide during the 12 months preceding the survey.
• Female students (11.9%) were significantly more likely than male students (5.6%) to have attempted suicide.
• Hispanic students (13.4%) were significantly more likely than white students (7.6%) to have attempted suicide.
• Students in grades 9 (10.6%) and 10 (10.1%) were significantly more likely than students in grade 12 (5.6%) to have attempted suicide.
• 2.8% of students had made a suicide attempt during the 12 months preceding the survey which resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that required medical attention.
• Students in grade 9 (4.1%) were significantly more likely than students in grade 12 (1.7%) to have made a suicide attempt which resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that required medical attention.

Characteristics of the National, State, and Local School-Based YRBS
          9th-12th grade students
          Probability samples of schools and students
          Anonymous
          Self-administered 84-item questionnaire
          Conducted biennially during the spring