Comparison of temporal trends in suicidal behaviors among high school students in Mississippi and the United States

Mississippi youth are demographically unique compared to that of the nation. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and trend of suicide ideation, suicide plans, suicidal attempts, and suicidal injury among high school students in Mississippi vs. in the United States (U.S.).

Summary statistics, prevalence ratio (PR), and trend analysis were generated and compared between Mississippi high school students and their U.S. counterparts.

The 2021 prevalences for suicide plans, suicide attempts, and suicide injury are all significantly higher for Mississippi high school students compared to their national counterparts. From 2001 to 2021, on the national level, none of the four suicide behaviors showed significant change, whereas, in Mississippi, suicide plans, suicide attempts, and suicide injury all had an increasing trend.

Our study reveals alarming increasing trends and significantly greater severity of suicidal burdens among Mississippi high school students compared to the nation. Left unattended, these trends may continue quicker due to a clustering effect. There is an urgent need for Mississippi to implement more and better intervention and prevention measures to stop and reverse the increasing trend of suicidal behaviors among its 9–12 graders.