Ethnic differences in risk factors for suicide among American high school students, 2009: the vulnerability of multiracial and Pacific Islander adolescents

Arch Suicide Res. 2012;16(2):159-73. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2012.667334.

Abstract

This study compared self-reported risk factors for suicide among American high school students in the last decade. Data from the 1999-2009 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys was analyzed by 8 self-reported ethnicity groups across 6 suicide-related items: depression, suicide ideation, suicide planning, suicide attempts, and suicide attempts requiring medical attention). Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adolescents had the higher prevalence of risk factors for suicide. Multiracial adolescents were also at high risk for suicide-related behaviors, with a risk comparable to American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents. Overall, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, multiracial, and American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents reported a significantly higher risk for suicide-related behaviors compared to their Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White peers. The ethnic disparities in risk factors for suicide dictate a need to understand the vulnerability of the Pacific Islander, American Indian, and growing multiracial adolescent populations, in an effort to develop and implement suicide prevention strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / ethnology*
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Minority Groups / statistics & numerical data*
  • Minority Health / statistics & numerical data
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander / psychology
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander / statistics & numerical data*
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk-Taking
  • Students / psychology
  • Students / statistics & numerical data*
  • Suicide / ethnology*
  • Suicide / statistics & numerical data
  • Suicide, Attempted / ethnology*
  • Suicide, Attempted / statistics & numerical data
  • United States / epidemiology