News-Miner Editorial
Alaska’s teens need help
Report shows stunning suicide, accident rates
Published Saturday, September 6, 2008
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Stumble It!Alaska’s children get a good start on life but face serious challenges as they grow older, compared to their peers around the nation, according to a recent report from Alaska’s university think-tank.
Some of us may have suspected that was the case, given the anecdotal evidence around us, but some of the figures from the Institute of Social and Economic Research are still shocking.
Alaska’s teen death rate has declined in the last four years, but it remains about 70 percent higher than the national average. Alaska has the worst teen death rate in the nation.
The difference is attributable to higher numbers of accidents, suicides and homicides in Alaska. Within those categories, accidents killed the most teens from 2001 to 2005, but suicides unfortunately came a close second.
Suicide rates diverge radically across the state. In the villages of Southwest and Northern Alaska, the rates were four and six times greater than the state average. In Southeast Alaska, the rate was just one-third of the state average.
It isn’t just the villages that have troubles, though. The urban-dominated Anchorage and the Interior regions have teen homicide rates that are about double the rural rates. Overall, homicides accounted for 10 percent of our teen deaths from 2001 to 2005, a stunning number.
The report shows that Alaska’s kids start out healthy and relatively well-off financially. The state had the lowest percentage in the nation of low-weight births, just 6 percent, in 2004-2005. Fifteen percent lived below the poverty line, compared to 19 percent nationwide, although Alaska’s expensive living environment probably nullifies much of that difference.
Other indicators of child welfare put Alaska in the middle of the pack among states.
But the death rate for children, especially teens, is horrendous. The figures stand out against all others in the report. They are a call to action for our families and government.
Community Discussion
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Might start by looking at the poor results in the Fairbanks school system ... about the lowest in the nation. Puts the kids out at quite a disadvantage. The teachers and FEA are sitting fat and happy but they are not quality orientated. Maybe they need more money …LOL.
James, the letter did not mention the word teachers or education. I don't understand how you can make the correlation between the high death rate and the public school system. It seems that teachers are always the first to get blamed in these situations when it is the parents who have the largest influence over their children. But don't take my word for it, I am just a product of the Fairbanks school system.
The Center for Disease Controls latest study did a comparison fro 1990 to 2004. 2004 figures for the entire nation indicate 11.61/100,000 for boys and 3.52/100,000 for girls. Between 1990 and 2004, an 8% increase.
This study came out Friday.
The editorial board may have served the public better by stating how the Institute of Social and Economic Research came to their conclusions, Since the most current national figures are only up to 2004. The editorial would have been better if written as to what causation factors were.
The signs of depression in adolescents needs to be watched for. Combine depression and the use of alcohol and it can be a fatal combination for youth.
James, you obviously had a bad experience with a teacher and have had a narrow-minded, relentless obsession about it ever since. Teachers have an almost impossible job and yet many do a good one. Parents send their kids to school with no values, no sleep, and no decent food. I have lunch at a local elementary school once each week - this one jittery kid dumped out his lunch box on the table and out came chips, rice krispy treats, candy, juice, and a cookie. Did he pack his own lunch? Needless to say, I doubt he focused real well on his afternoon lessons.
The worthless "No Child Left Behind" act has resulted in requiring reams of paperwork to be filled out by all teachers, which takes the emphasis away from teaching. Additionally, the teachers are forced (yes, forced) to teach to the stupid test, which, by the way, really is a stupid test. The state has dumbed the test down so that the lower strata of students can actually appear average and the schools can make AYP.
The fact that Alaska has higher teen death rates has nothing to do with the school system, unless you mean that the schools can't do their jobs because of the loss of values of Americans. I wonder if the high teen death rate from state to state correlates with the percentage of right-wing, rednecks in a state. I'll bet that the right-wing red states have a higher teen death rate.
The children that I have seen that are problem children most frequently come from problem families. No one is perfect, but yes, if there are problems at home, chances are children from families like this will be problems to. And the families that I have seen like this generate drug and alchohol abuse, and perpetrate antisocial behavior outside their social circles. Not to mention failing to support the childs success in school, in academics and or behavior.
akjak and Logical you both are absolutely correct .. parents do a pretty poor job and sort of dump the kids on the system. The results show.
However, that said, the FNSH school district also does a pitiful job. I'm not speaking to the few who do an excellent job as you are using for your argument. I am speaking to the district as a whole. There are always exceptions.
Have a look at the products turned out in that system. I wonder if the system itself is a substantial contributing factor to some of the problem ... that was really my point I guess.
akjak it is interesting to hear that the state has manipulate the national test downward to get higher passing percentages yet Alaska remains one of the lowest in the nation. I wonder it Alaska would be the worst in the nation otherwise? I have not had any especially bad experiences with teachers; however, I can also say that I have yet to see (on average) many well prepared kids come out of the system in Fairbanks.
Most suicidal people just want their pain to end, and at the time, do not realize that there are options to suicide and that help really is available.
About 80% of the time, people who end their lives have talked about suicide or have shown warning signs. Recognizing these signs, asking the person if they're having thoughts of suicide, talking openly about the issue in a non-judgmental way, and knowing who to call for help, are tools that all of us can use to prevent death by suicide.
SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS
* A previous suicide attempt
* Current talk of suicide or making a plan
* Strong wish to die or a preoccupation with death
* Signs of depression, such as helplessness, hopelessness, withdrawal from family, friends or normal activities
* Increased alcohol and/or other drug use
* Hinting at not being around in the future or saying good-bye
These warning signs are especially critical in light of:
* a recent death or suicide of a friend or family member
* a recent break-up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or conflict with parents
* news reports of other suicides by young people in the same school or community
Other key risk factors include:
* Readily accessible firearms
* Impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks
* Isolation (whether self-imposed or environmental)
HOW TO HELP:
If a friend mentions suicide, take it seriously. If he or she has expressed an immediate plan, or has access to a gun or other potentially deadly means, do not leave the person alone. Get help immediately.
For more information, call the Careline at 452-4357 (or 1-877-266-4357). You can also call your local mental health crisis line. With help comes hope.
For online resources:
http://www.hss.state.ak.us/suicidepreven...
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org...
http://www.myspace.com/Careline_Alaska
Looks like teens over their in Alaska need some hope,introduce them to Obama and they may get actively involved in the issues around them and fight for change instead of giving up to the oppression around them ,learn to fight for a better future .Yes We Can.
Careline - Good post, but it's also important to add that pre-teens/teens can show different symptoms than adults, and the symptoms/risk factors you posted are for adults.
James - I agree with whomever posted above saying that the quality of the schools has little to do with the high death rate for teens. You might be able to argue that it's the fault of the teachers when teens educated in the FNSB commit suicide later in life due to the stresses of not being properly educated, but I think that is a bit of a stretch even for you.
I think that this is such a multifaceted problem it's going to take a lot from different groups to make a difference. Decreasing accidental deaths from motorized vehicle (ATV, Snow machine, car) accidents I think would be helpful. I for one would love to see drivers education become mandatory to receive a license in Alaska unless you have been previously licensed in another state for a certain length of time. Some sort of training on proper ATV/Snow machine use would be great too I think, but is logistically difficult in villages where that is the primary mode of transportation.
Reducing the suicide rate is going to be the most complicated thing. I was appalled when a co-worker a couple of years ago dismissed their teens depression/suicidal behavior because "what did they have to be depressed about, they are just a kid and aren't even in the real world".
I really hope that isn't a common attitude. To an adult a teen's problems may not seem that serious, but what matters is how serious the teen sees it because it's their mental health at stake. Luckily my co-workers ex-husband was able to get their daughter to see a counselor which helped her a lot.
Hopefully more can be done to education parents and teens about what to look for, and what options are available for dealing with mental health problems in teens.
Motherofsons-Unless you live in the Yukon Territory or Siberia, Alaska is not "over their"('there' is the word you should have used). Your lack of knowledge of geography and inability to use the most basic words correctly, proves education is lacking in places other than Alaska.
MarieBarr,
The warning signs listed are a few which are indeed applicable to youth. All warning signs need to be taken seriously; youth who demonstrate more than one warning sign are at risk--especially our Alaskan youth. Adults need to recognize the risk factors and warning signs, and they need to learn to ask questions and respond appropriately.
We may only have one chance to save a life--yet it's something each of us can do!
I didn't say they weren't applicable, but there are other warning signs that are MORE applicable for teens, or at the very least are going to be more obvious.
Foremost, the issue is getting kids outside of home and with peers. Alaska'a children are more isolated, more unable to socialize than any other kids because of the weather, available options, and family goals to socialize.
If you have the money, well, your options are greater. If you don't, your kids don't. Kids need family and friends. Kids need dances at schools, community get-to-gethers, activities.
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