About 1 in 8 young adults ages 18 to 25 have had suicidal thoughts or made plans or attempts to end their life. Among them, white young people are much more likely to access any sort of mental health treatment than their Asian, Black, or Latino peers, according to a study published yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics.
Researchers found these disparities by analyzing data from a 2022-23 federal, population-based survey on drug use, mental health, and behavioral health. About half of white young people received any treatment, compared with 28% of Asian, 29% of Black, and 35% of Latino young people who reported suicidal ideation, planning, or attempts.
People in this age range, sometimes known as “transition age youth,” are particularly vulnerable to suicidality but tend to have the lowest rates of access to mental health treatment compared to other age groups. Policy solutions should prioritize insurance continuity during the transition into adulthood and implementing universal screening in nontraditional settings, the authors wrote.