RESEARCH WEEKLY: September Research Roundup
Research Roundup is a monthly public service of the Office of Research and Public Affairs. Each edition describes a striking new data point about severe mental illness and summarizes recently published research reports or developments. This month’s edition is in honor of September being National Suicide Prevention Month and the recent passage of the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act that establishes 9-8-8 as the suicide prevention hotline.
DATAPOINT of the month
48,344 deaths by suicide in 2018
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were more than 48,000 deaths by suicide in 2018. This represents a 35% increase in the age-adjusted suicide rate since 1999, the highest since World War II. In addition to the lives lost to suicide every year, millions more think about it. The CDC reports that 10.7 million Americans seriously thought about suicide in 2018, while 1.4 million made a suicide attempt.
RESEARCH of the month
FCC report on the 9-8-8 National Suicide Hotline
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a report recommending the creation of a national three-digit number for a suicide prevention hotline. Last week, Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, establishing 9-8-8 as a suicide prevention hotline, which is awaiting signature by the president before becoming law.
"Documented crisis and suicide call volume projections from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) exceed levels for which 911 can reasonably be expected to accommodate an expanded use for both emergency calls and a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system," the report states. “Designating a 3-digit code dedicated solely for the purpose of a national suicide prevention and mental health hotline would likely make it easier for Americans in crisis to access potentially life-saving resources.”
Homelessness and suicide
Individuals who experience homelessness are often dealing with a host of health and social problems, including severe mental illness, which affects approximately one-third of single homeless adults. Researchers from Montreal, Quebec conducted a cross-sectional study of individuals who had experienced or were currently experiencing homelessness and measured past suicide ideation or attempts in a 12-month period. The results revealed much higher rates of suicide ideation and attempts among homeless individuals than the general population. People who had been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, had a history of substance use, or had experienced multiple hospitalizations for any reason were of the highest risk. Importantly, the study found that nearly half (47%) of individuals who were homeless and had a serious mental illness had a history of suicide attempts.
Criminal justice involvement and suicide
Criminal justice involvement also increases an individual’s risk of suicidal behavior. Researchers from the University of Washington utilized data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health to identify risk factors for suicide among individuals with mental health challenges who had criminal justice system involvement. While there was a higher frequency of suicide attempts in all populations that had been involved with the criminal justice system, those who had been recently arrested were at the highest risk for suicide compared to those on parole or probation. The results suggest that prioritizing suicide prevention and mental health services after arrest could have significant impacts on this population.
Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
