TeenWatch, a local surveillance system for adolescent suicidal behaviors was established in response to uptrending suicide rates among youth in Onondaga County, NY, and information gaps identified by a multidisciplinary child death review team. TeenWatch's mission is to quantify and robustly characterize local adolescent suicides, suicide attempts and ideation to inform community action on this growing American public health issue. TeenWatch was modeled on surveillance programs in Cobb County GA and Oregon, the only two similar, documented systems in the U.S., and it conforms to CDC-established surveillance guidelines. The local health department led the project, in partnership with an advisory board of experts and stakeholders. The system uses trained staff in all four local emergency departments (EDs) and a psychiatric evaluation center (CPEP) to collect information on all cases of suicidal behavior in admitted patients below age 20. During 1999, data on demographic and risk factors, methods of injury, treatment and disposition for 267 youth were collected. Important findings in these areas are presented and compared with published data. Key findings include: troubling numbers of attempts in children under age 11 (15% of total); documented alcohol and drug use in 50% of cases; high percentages of stress (90%), depression (70%) and previous suicide attempts (40%); frequent ingestion of over-the-counter medications (particularly Tylenol) as method of injury (50%); and high percentage (70%) with previous counseling. Similar information from an adjunct study of completed adolescent suicides will complement these data. A plan for presenting these findings and mobilizing community action is described.
Learning Objectives: 1.Describe a low-cost system for obtaining population-based data about adolescent suicidal behaviors in a community. 2.List key findings of this study in the context of established knowledge in this area. 3.Assess and discuss use of this method and resulting information to inform and mobilize community action
Keywords: Mental Health, Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.