MINNESOTA, USA — The first Minnesota Student Survey since the pandemic shows an increase in Minnesota students reporting they have mental health issues.
The survey is conducted every three years in collaboration between state Education, Health, Human Services, and Public Safety Departments. This year, students reported mental health struggles more than any other year in the survey's history, which began in 1989.
In fact, 28 percent of high school juniors this year reported they seriously considered suicide at some point in their lifetime. It's a jump from 24 percent in 2019 and 23 percent in 2016.
The survey also found juniors who identify as transgender are over four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.
As for other grade levels, nearly 30 percent of all students surveyed reported they struggled with their mental health for six months or longer. That's an almost 67 percent increase from 2016. Students from grades five, eight, nine, and 11 take the survey, but schools may add additional grades if desired.
“These results indicate the pandemic fueled and worsened ongoing trends of our teens reporting long-term mental health problems,” Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm said on the Health Department website. “It will take more research to know the interplay of all the factors, but it is clear that this is a crisis, and Minnesotans, lawmakers and families need to focus resources and attention in and outside of schools to give our children and their families the connections, supports, stable environments and opportunities they need for a sense of well-being about their lives and futures.”
But it's not all bad news. The survey also looks at youth smoking and drinking habits and there were some improvements. Cigarette use has fallen 90 percent since 2001, with only 2 percent reporting they smoke cigarettes today.
E-cigarette use among juniors also dropped from 26 percent in 2019 to 14 percent this year.
Additional 2022 survey results are viewable on the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Education websites.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist: