The Relationship Between Suicidal Behavior and Productive Activities of Young Adults‪.‬

1. Introduction Suicides among youths have reached an alarming rate in recent years and are now the third leading cause of death for those aged 15-24 years (Anderson and Smith 2003). Since 1950, the suicide rate has tripled among youths (Cutler, Glaeser, and Norberg 2001). Even more striking is the number of suicide attempts by young individuals. For every teen who commits suicide, as many as 150 teens attempt suicide (Chatterji et al. 2004). Concern over the health and well-being of youths has prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national strategy for suicide prevention. This comprehensive campaign includes developing public education campaigns; increasing the number of suicide prevention programs in schools, work sites, and community services; and incorporating screening at primary health care facilities.