CDC Report: Sharp Increase in Homicide and Suicide Rates Among Gen Zs Amidst the Pandemic

**Alarming Rise in Homicide and Suicide Rates among Young People During COVID-19**

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on mental health among young people in the United States. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the homicide rate for older teenagers has spiked to its highest point in nearly 25 years, while the suicide rate for adults in their early 20s is the worst it has been in over 50 years.

**Factors Contributing to the Increase**

The alarming increase in homicide and suicide rates among young people can be attributed to several factors. Experts point to higher rates of depression, limited availability of mental health services, and the presence of guns in homes.

Guns played a significant role in these tragic incidents, with statistics showing that they were used in 54% of suicides and 93% of homicides among 10- to 24-year-olds in 2021. Dr. Steven Woolf, a researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University, emphasized the dangerous consequences of easy access to guns, stating that if a teenager has access to a gun when feeling desperate, the outcome is often fatal.

**The Second and Third Leading Causes of Death**

Suicide and homicide rank as the second and third leading causes of death among 10- to 24-year-olds, following accidental deaths that include motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and overdoses. Researchers have grouped the data by the method of death, leading them to conclude that guns are now the biggest killer of children in the United States.

Earlier in the pandemic, a study examining CDC data revealed dramatic increases in child and adolescent death rates. Suicide and homicide emerged as significant contributing factors to these alarming trends.

**Key Findings of the Report**

The CDC report highlights several key findings:

1. The suicide and homicide death rates remained significantly higher for older teenagers and young adults compared to 10- to 14-year-olds.
2. In 2021, there were approximately 2,900 suicides among youths aged 10 to 19 and 4,200 suicides among 20- to 24-year-olds. For homicides, around 3,000 deaths were reported in the younger group, while nearly 3,900 deaths occurred in adults in their early twenties.
3. The homicide death rate for teenagers aged 15 to 19 increased from 8.9 deaths per 100,000 in 2019 to 12.3 in 2020, and further rose to 12.8 per 100,000 in 2021, the highest rate since 1997.
4. Homicide deaths surpassed suicide deaths among 15- to 19-year-olds, while suicide remained more prevalent in younger and older age groups.
5. Although significant increases in homicide rates were observed among young Black and Hispanic individuals, there were no significant increases among their white counterparts, according to additional CDC data.
6. Among 20- to 24-year-olds, the homicide death rate soared by 34% from 2019 to 2020, from 13.4 per 100,000 population to 18 per 100,000. While the homicide rate remained steady in 2021, the suicide rate increased to 19.4 per 100,000, surpassing the homicide rate.

**Impact of COVID-19 and Isolation**

Suicide death rates among children and teenagers were already on the rise before the COVID-19 pandemic, but they experienced a further surge during its onset. Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, a psychiatrist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, suggests that isolation during COVID-19 lockdowns may have played a role in these distressing trends. Trivedi emphasizes the importance of addressing depression among young people early on, dispelling the misconception that discussing depression may worsen the condition. Early identification and intervention are crucial in saving lives.

In conclusion, the CDC report sheds light on the alarming increase in homicide and suicide rates among young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The factors contributing to these sobering trends include higher rates of depression, limited access to mental health services, and the prevalence of guns in households. Urgent policy changes and improved availability of mental health support are needed to address this mental health crisis among young people.