How can we stop children from committing suicide?
Have you watched Netflix’s newest controversial show, “13 Reasons Why,” yet? It depicts a teenager’s suicide — graphically — and then outlines the reasons why she took this drastic measure.
Especially given the show’s popularity, we thought it would be fitting this week to broach the painful topic of preteens committing suicide. More American children between 10 and 14 years of age now die by their own hand than from any other cause. Many children who consider this step have experienced some form of abuse, such as bullying, sexual assault, or mistreatment at home. What does it take to prevent these deaths? How can we help preteens understand that life can go on after mental illness and abuse?
Before we dive into this week’s stories, a reminder to those of you in the New York City area! Spots are still open for our free event (with food!) this coming Monday, April 24: How can journalists do a better job at reporting the refugee crisis? Register here. It should be a fantastic discussion and opportunity for networking, and we would love to see you there.
Here are this week’s top development/social impact stories, full of rich questions. Happy reading:
How Can We Stop Children from Committing Suicide?
By Erin Stewart in The Development Set
When I asked Emma how she managed to get through her childhood years without adequate mental health counseling, she said, “Music.”
“I used to spend most lunchtimes in the music room…I loved it. To this day I still see music as a great tool. I couldn’t overstress the importance of it. It made me realize that I’m more resilient than I originally thought I was.”
Can Weed Cure America’s Opioid Epidemic?
By Kaleigh Rogers in VICE/Motherboard
Can marijuana really act as a gateway drug — out of an opioid addiction?
Can This Ring Protect Women from HIV?
By Dinsa Sachan in The Development Set
Similar to the Nuvaring, the dapivirine ring disseminates a small quantity of microbicides while inserted inside a vagina, protecting the person wearing it from HIV. If used correctly, it reduces the chance of contracting HIV by 75%. But now, researchers are asking themselves, how do they get women to wear it continuously?
To me, this is a fantastic example of when we don’t need a better (proverbial) horse, but for more people to jump on the horse instead of walking tentatively beside it.
What Country Spends The Most (And Least) On Health Care Per Person?
By Susan Brink in NPR
A little chart-porn for all of you. The Q&A also talks about a few “bright spots” in the research. For instance: “Vietnam is moving toward universal coverage. They spend only about $400 a person, but they’ve identified a manageable set of essential health care services and work to provide it for the whole population.”
How One County Slashed Sugary Drink Sales
By Susan Scutti in CNN
Fascinating story of how a Maryland county completed a marketing campaign, “Howard County Unsweetened” that saw sizable drops (19.7%) of soda sales and more.
