Four Eras of Study of College Student Suicide in the United States: 1920-2004

Author: Schwartz, Allan J.
Publication: Journal of American College Health
Link to Published Abstract
Topics: Gender Students Suicide Surveillance/Data Collection
Keywords: COLLEGE students PREVENTION Suicide UNITED States high-risk groups
Bibliographic information +

The author examined 18 reports describing 13 studies of suicide among students at colleges and universities in the Untied States from 1920-2004. The suicide rate for students has declined across four eras (1920-1960, 19560-1980, 1980-1990, 1990-2000), from 13.4 to 8.0 to 7.5 to 6.5. The decreasing proportion of men in the student populations studied largely accounts for this decline. Since 1960, the suicide rate for students has consistently been about half the rate of the general US population. This highly favorable relative suicide rate is the result of firearms having been effectively banned from campuses.