With New Generation, Teen Suicide Is Changing, And Experts Are Left Scrambling To Combat Increase
Stress over success and digital popularity is leading to an uptick in young people taking their own lives. Advocates are working to address risk factors, but in the new era, they're sometimes a step behind.
The Orange County Register:
Internet A “Digital ‘Lord Of The Flies'”: Teen Suicide Uptick Began After Instagram, Snapchat Launched
Kids are cutting and killing themselves in increasing numbers and experts are only beginning to understand why — and more importantly how to stem the tide of tragedy. Several weeks ago, the Orange County chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics went so far as to make a public statement about what experts call a suicide cluster. (Whiting, 3/21)
In other public health news —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Healthy, Vaccinated 40-Year-Old Among Six New Flu Deaths In San Diego
San Diego County’s flu season continues to show plenty of strength at a time of year when the number of new cases usually starts to shrink. Though emergency department activity continues to be about average for March, the number of cases reported across the region is still three time higher, at 684 cases, than it was last year during the second week of March. That number is a little more than twice the prior three-year average. ...The 2017-2018 flu season has been deadly, surpassing 300 flu-related deaths last week. This week was the first in months where the number of newly-reported deaths was in the single digits. (Sisson, 3/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Smartwatch App Can Detect Common Heart Rhythm Abnormality, Study Finds
A smartwatch app that monitors heart activity can detect atrial fibrillation, a common heart abnormality that can lead to stroke, according to a study released Wednesday by UCSF researchers. The study, which will be published in JAMA Cardiology, enrolled 9,750 people — including some who had already been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation before participating in the study— between 2016 and 2017. (Ho, 3/21)