The suicide rates for young people in rural areas “are almost twice as high” as those for city kids, says the Washington Post, summarizing a study by researchers at Ohio State University. The study reviewed 66,595 suicides from 1996-2010 by people from ages 10 to 24. Among young males, the rate was 19.93 per 100,000 in rural areas and 10.31 per 100,000 in urban areas. The suicide rate was 4.4 per 100,000 for young rural females vs 2.39 per 100,000 in urban areas.
“The report offered several explanations for the findings, emphasizing the relative shortage of mental health care in rural settings ‘owing to chronic shortages of clinicians,'” said the Post. “It also suggests social isolation from friends and family, the economic impact of the Great Recession and easier access to firearms in rural areas as other possible explanations.”