PHILADELPHIA (September 1, 2026) – Adolescent suicide risk remains elevated in high-violence neighborhoods even as overall post-pandemic shooting rates decline, according to a new Penn Nursing study published in Pediatrics .
Led by Jungwon Min, PhD, MS , Director of the BECCA Lab, researchers analyzed over 71,000 primary care visits for Philadelphia-area teens (ages 12–18) from 2017 to 2024. By linking depression and suicide screenings with neighborhood shooting data, the study examined how community violence still impacts youth mental health during the post-pandemic period.
While teen depression returned to pre-pandemic levels, overall suicide risk in the post-pandemic period stayed elevated—and neighborhood context played a key role:
These trends persisted even after accounting for neighborhood economic conditions. The authors emphasize that healthcare and public health strategies should weigh community firearm violence and lingering pandemic-related stress when deciding on closer follow-up after mental health screening.
"While overall post-pandemic shooting rates and teen depression levels have declined, neighborhood exposure to firearm violence continues to drive youth suicide risk in high-violence communities,” said Min.
The study was funded by Clinical Futures and supported by the Arcus Data Repository Team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The research was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of investigators across the University of Pennsylvania and CHOP. Co-authors include Penn Nursing’s Cathrine C. McDonald, PhD , and Sara F. Jacoby, PhD , along with Penn Medicine’s Stephanie Mayne, PhD and CHOP’s Vicky Tam, MA.
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The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice, and is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS World University (2026), a distinction it has held nine prior times. Penn Nursing also consistently earns top national rankings from U.S. News & World Report for its BSN and graduate programs and is the top National Institutes of Health (NIH)–funded nursing research institution in the United States. By integrating innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based practice, Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists, clinicians, and leaders to meet the complex health needs of a global society. Follow Penn Nursing: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram .
PEDIATRICS
People
Community Firearm Violence, Youth Depression, and Suicide Risk in Philadelphia: 2017–2024
3-Aug-2026