自杀成2016年青少年第二大死因，原因成谜

据美国医学期刊《儿科》杂志对医院数据的一项分析显示，2008年至2015年间，有自杀倾向或尝试自杀的美国青少年数量急剧增加，特别是女孩的自杀倾向的增长率要远高于男孩，学龄青少年也更容易出现自杀心理或行为。

该研究称：“2008至2015年，美国儿童医院中因自杀倾向和自杀行为被送就医的人数逐年稳步上升，占所有送医人数的比例也越来越高。这种趋势出现在各个年龄段，贯穿了青少年的整个求学阶段，并且表现出了明显的季节模式。”

研究人员利用了医院的缴费数据来研究这6年间青少年的自杀趋势。2008年，在美国31家儿童医院的病人中，有0.66%系因为自杀倾向或行为而被送医。到2015年，这一比例已上升至1.82%，达到2008年的近3倍。15至17岁美国青少年以及女孩的自杀倾向增长最快。青少年的自杀倾向在春秋两季最高，夏季则有所下降。

我们现在仍然不知道为什么越来越多的青少年出现自杀自残倾向。但有证据表明，心理健康问题或许是导致越来越多青少年厌世轻生的重要原因。

The number of young Americans and adolescents contemplating or attempting suicide rose sharply between 2008 and 2015, according to an analysis of hospital data published in the journal Pediatrics. The troubling increase disproportionately affects girls, and suicidal thoughts and attempts are more likely to occur during the school year.

“Encounters for [suicidal ideas and suicide attempts] at U.S. children’s hospitals increased steadily from 2008 to 2015 and accounted for an increasing percentage of all hospital encounters,” wrote the study authors. “Increases were noted across all age groups, with consistent seasonal patterns that persisted over the study period.”

Researchers used hospital billing data to suss out the teen suicide trends over six years. In 2008, 0.66% of hospital visits across 31 children’s hospitals were related to suicide; by 2015, that had risen to 1.82%, a near tripling of the rate. Young Americans aged 15 to 17 experienced the most significant increases, as did girls, and suicidal thoughts and attempts peaked in the spring and fall while declining in the summer.

It’s unclear exactly why more teens are contemplating suicide and self-harm. But the new study adds to evidence that mental health problems are taking a bigger and bigger toll on adolescents.

来自美国疾病控制中心的数据显示，2015年，在15至19岁的美国青少年中，有1537名男孩自杀，524名女孩自杀，较00年代早期呈显著增长。自杀一般是美国青少年第三大死因，但2016年已经跃升为第二大死因。（财富中文网）

译者：朴成奎

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) finds that there “were 1,537 suicides among males and 524 among females aged 15–19 years” in 2015, representing a significant increase from the early 2000s. Suicide is typically the third leading cause of death for young Americans, but rose to the second leading cause of death in 2016.