Year: 2021 Source: Switzerland, CH: Springer Nature. (2021). p. 39-53. SIEC No: 20210837

Suicidality remains an incredible mortality threat to adolescents in the United States. While self-harm continues to serve as a concerning risk factor for suicide, reassuring evidence suggests that the majority of individuals that survive their first suicide attempt will ultimately never complete suicide. Therefore, the lethality of suicide method makes a significant impact on the likelihood of ultimate survival for these adolescents. As such, several historical public health initiatives have successfully implemented lethal means reduction strategies to prevent suicide mortality. As firearms remain the most common suicide method among American teenagers with the highest fatality rate, physician counseling, legislative efforts, and health campaigns focused on reducing the accessibility of firearms serve as a promising path towards reducing adolescent mortality.