Abstract
Suicide is a prevalent health issue for youth and understanding youth experiences is critical for the development of effective prevention strategies. Although youth perceptions regarding suicide are relatively well studied, there is a paucity of youth voices in the planning, design, facilitation, and implementation of suicide prevention research. This study examines youth perceptions of suicide prevention through a community-academic partnership with the Youth Council for Suicide Prevention (YCSP). Working together as co-researchers, the YCSP conducted a modified Group Level Assessment with over 200 youth to understand youth perspectives on suicide prevention. The findings were used by the council to inform outreach and prevention activities that directly affect YCSP members and their peers.
Highlights
Suicide is a serious public health issue impacting communities and is the second leading cause of death for children aged 12–17 in the United States (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2015)
Youth who become engaged in Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) create a ripple effect and encourage their own peers, parents, teachers, and medical practitioners to become involved in health and social issues like suicide prevention (Israel et al, 2010) – a strategy that is vital to reducing the rates of teen suicide (CDC, 2015; Suleiman et al, 2006; U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention [UDHHS], 2012; WHO, 1993)
The purpose of this study is to describe how the YPAR approach was used to involve young people as equitable co-researchers in the planning, design, facilitation, and implementation of suicide prevention research and how the findings informed outreach activities pursued by the Youth Council for Suicide Prevention (YCSP)
Summary
Suicide is a serious public health issue impacting communities and is the second leading cause of death for children aged 12–17 in the United States (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2015). In the context of suicide prevention, YPAR can be employed to engage young people in an iterative cycle of critical reflection and action around adolescent suicide in their communities, among other health issues germane to youth. The YPAR approach of involving young people as co-researchers may prove useful for the construction of tailored health interventions that are more relevant to youth (Lindquist-Grantz & Abraczinskas, 2018), potentially reducing adolescent suicide attempts. To address this need in the Greater Cincinnati region, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) developed the Youth Council for Suicide Prevention (YCSP) in 2013. Council members demonstrate leadership by taking more responsibility of YCSP projects and sometimes bringing YCSP projects into their own schools, which may be evidence of positive youth development (Lerner, 2005) and critical consciousness (Freire, 1970)
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