Patterns of Suicide Among Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Suicide is a major global public health concern and one of the leading causes of death among adolescents. Mongolia’s suicide rate is approximately twice the global and regional averages. Suicide accounts for approximately one in four deaths among adolescents aged 15–19 years, while children and adolescents constitute a proportion of all suicide deaths in the country. Aim: To characterize the ageand sex-specific patterns of suicide deaths among children and adolescents aged 8–18 years in Mongolia from 2020 to 2024. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted using records of suicide deaths obtained from the database of the General Police Department of Mongolia. Cases involving children and adolescents aged 8–18 years registered between 2020 and 2024 were included. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the distribution of cases by age, sex, and geographical location. Results: A total of 313 suicide deaths among children and adolescents aged 8–18 years were registered nationwide during 2020–2024. Of these, 67.4% occurred in rural areas and 32.6% in Ulaanbaatar. Boys accounted for 67.4% of cases, while girls accounted for 32.6%. The mean age at death was 15.15 years (SD, 2.35; range, 8–18 years). The highest number of cases was observed among adolescents aged 16–18 years. Conclusion: Among the total number of deaths by suicide, the proportion of boys in late adolescence was high. Furthermore, two out of every three cases were recorded in rural areas.