Youth suicide rates surge across the Americas, PAHO calls for urgent action
Suicide among adolescents and young adults in the Americas has risen over the past two decades, prompting the Pan American Health Organization to call for stronger prevention measures and expanded mental health support across the region, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to a new study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, more than 18,000 people aged 10 to 24 died by suicide in 2021. Suicide remains the third leading cause of death for this age group in the Americas.
The report found that suicide rates among young people increased by 38% between 2000 and 2021 – significantly higher than the 17% rise recorded in the general population. The steepest increase was observed among children aged 10 to 14, while the growth in suicide rates among girls outpaced that of boys.
“The fact that the suicide rate among young people has risen 38% in just over two decades – compared to a 17% increase in the general population – is a wake-up call,” said Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO. He stressed the need to strengthen prevention efforts and ensure timely support for children, adolescents, and young adults.
Researchers identified several factors linked to the rise, including mental health and anxiety appearing at younger ages, substance use, cyberbullying, social pressures, excessive exposure to digital environments, and access to lethal means.
“The increase in suicide mortality among younger populations calls for stronger early detection and interventions in schools and communities,” said Renato Oliveira e Souza, Chief of PAHO’s Mental Health and Substance Use Unit.
The study analyzed data from 35 countries between 2000 and 2021 using estimates from the World Health Organization. It found that the suicide mortality rate among people aged 10 to 24 rose from 5.7 to 7.84 deaths per 100,000 population, with particularly high levels recorded in North America and several countries in the Southern Cone.
The research was conducted by specialists from PAHO and the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. Experts emphasized the importance of school-based mental health programs, socio-emotional skills training, early identification of at-risk individuals, and responsible media coverage of suicide.
PAHO also noted that the Americas remain the only region where suicide rates in the general population continue to rise. In response, the organization launched the Regional Suicide Prevention Initiative in 2025 to help countries strengthen mental health services, implement evidence-based prevention strategies, and reduce stigma around mental health and suicide.
“Suicide affects families, communities, and entire societies, and is preventable,” Barbosa said, adding that political commitment and cross-sector cooperation are essential to saving lives.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that South Koreans’ average life satisfaction remained unchanged from the previous year in 2024, while the suicide rate increased.