JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – An East Tennessee State University researcher said suicides in rural areas need special attention.
Assistant psychology professor Jameson Hirsch told the Kingsport Times-News that research suggests “social and cultural beliefs, isolation, economic stress, and the acceptance of firearms are contributing factors” in rural suicides.
Hirsch, in a grant application tailored to a rural campus, has received government funding to develop a suicide prevention program for East Tennessee State University’s 14,000 students.
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities records show that suicide is the third-leading cause of death among youth and young adults ages 10 to 24 in both the state and nation. Tennessee’s suicide rate is 13th nationally – 14.4 per 100,000 people – compared to the national average of 10.8 per 100,000 people.
“I feel like we have some unique things going on in a rural area that should be addressed,” Hirsch told the newspaper.