Sex differences in suicide trends among adolescents aged 10 to 14 years in Canada

Suicide rates appear to be rising rapidly among youth in North America. Historically, adolescent males have had much higher rates than females; however, this gap may be narrowing due to rising suicides among female adolescents. Over the last 40 years, reported youth suicide rates in the United States have increased most disproportionately among females aged 10 to 14 years, mainly by hanging and suffocation, but also by self-poisoning in the 10- to 12-year age group. In Canada, reported rates among females aged 10 to 14 have also steadily increased while rates among males have remained stable or declined.  Although Canadian studies have presented suicide rates in young women across age brackets, no study has tested for sex differences in the 10 to 14 age group specifically.