Experts work to prevent college suicides.

Abstract: 

An estimated 1100 suicides and 24 000 suicide attempts occur annually among US college students aged 18 to 24 years. About 10 million such students were enrolled in US colleges and universities in 2003--about one third of individuals in that age group living in the United States. The suicide rate on campus, estimated to be about 7.5 per 100 000 students, is about half that in nonstudents the same ages. Suicide is the third leading cause of death after unintentional injuries and homicides in persons aged 15 to 24 years in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because homicides occur less frequently in college students than in age-matched nonstudents, however, researchers suggest suicides likely rank second only to unintentional injuries as a cause of death among college students. Schools commonly focus on problems of adjustment to school by freshmen, but suicide rates among undergraduates are highest among seniors. They are even higher among graduate students, most of whom live off campus and get relatively little attention from college mental health services. More students with psychiatric disorders attend college today than in the past, a reflection of successful treatment of young children who might not otherwise have been on a college track. Colleges and universities need a best practices model for dealing with suicidal students, with clear policies for adequately and fully informing students about the limits of confidentiality and possible consequences of revealing suicidal thoughts. Ideally, the institution would promote help-seeking behavior, and provide genuine options for help on and off campus.