Time-space clustering of teenage suicide.

The occurrence of time-space clusters was examined in national mortality data on suicide among adolescents aged 15-19 years obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics Mortality Detail Files for 1978-1984. The analyses indicated that overall significant time-space clustering occurred among 15-19 year olds. The authors thus believe that they have documented for the first time that outbreaks of suicide occur more frequently than expected by chance alone. The occurrence of suicide clusters among teenagers appeared to vary considerably by state and year of investigation. There is some indication that there has been an increase in teenage clusters in more recent years.