Count 20 people around you. According to a recent report conducted by researchers at the University of Iowa, one of those 20 people will attempt suicide while in college.
"One of the key findings for me was that 5 percent of respondents have said they attempted suicide while in college," said John Westefeld, a professor of counseling psychology at the University of Iowa and the leading researcher of the study. "In the earlier studies that we've conducted, that figure has not been that high."
The study corroborates with a national upward growth of suicide rates among college student that has been observed by other researchers in the field, according to Westefeld.
A 2003 American College Health Association study, in which the University participated, reported slightly different data, according to Leonard Carter, assistant director of Counseling and Psychological Services at the University.
"According to the survey, 0.6 percent of students reported that they attempted suicide," Carter said. "If you think about that in terms of the undergraduate population, it's roughly 75 suicide attempts."
There have only been five suicides at the University since 1996, Carter said. He attributed the statistic in part to the fact that the University started a suicide prevention program in 1996.
"It was really a variety of things that prompted us to found this program," Carter said. "We felt there were a variety of things that needed to be consolidated, so we combined counseling services and student health."
Before the program was founded, there were 33 reported suicides at the University between 1975 and 1996, Carter said.
"We felt that 33 suicides in a little over 20 years were far too many," he said. "We looked at that and said, 'What can we do to prevent as many suicides as we can?' I feel that this is really an example of U.Va. being forward-looking."
With the suicide prevention program, the University already has implemented the main recommendation that came out of the University of Iowa study, Westefeld said.
Yet sometimes it is not a lack of services but rather a lack of awareness of services that is the problem, the study found.
According to Westefeld, only a quarter of the students interviewed for the study were aware of the resources available on their campus.
"I wish there were more students at the University who knew about our services," Carter said. "Students hear about us first year, but then they say, 'That's not for me,' and they forget about it."
CAPS conducts outreach efforts in the University community, including depression screenings in both the spring and fall. Carter speaks to groups around Grounds about the services CAPS provides.
"People walk around thinking that everyone's perfect, but some people are really suffering," Carter said. "While it is important to help your friends, it is also important for them to get professional help."
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