Adolescent suicidality and adult support: the reach for health study of urban youth.
OBJECTIVE
To examine suicidality among urban youth and its relationship to patterns of adult support.


METHODS
Study surveyed 879 adolescents. Suicide ideation and attempts, perceived adult support, family and formal network availability, and network activation were assessed.


RESULTS
Only half of those reporting a suicide attempt had spoken with an adult about their distress. Suicide attempters were more likely than nonattempters to report they would not go to family members in the future, although they were more likely to report a past discussion.


CONCLUSIONS
Improving communication among youth, families, and service providers should be a focus of suicide prevention planning.
O'Donnell
Lydia
L
Education Development Center, Inc., Newton, MA 02458, USA. lodonnell@edc.org
Stueve
Ann
A
Wardlaw
Dana
D
O'Donnell
Carl
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention