Minorities Communities and Why Suicide Prevention Is Important

A year of strife, unrest and an ongoing pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the marginalized and minority communities. A new report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that while suicide rates between 1999 and 2017 rose for nearly all racial and ethnic groups analyzed, disparities among those groups are substantial. The uptick was especially steep among Native Americans and Alaska Natives, with suicide rates climbing 139% among women and 71% among men in that time frame..Understanding racial and ethnic differences in rates of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide deaths is essential for more effectively directing suicide prevention efforts. Racial and ethnic groups differ in their access to culturally appropriate behavioral health treatment, experiences of discrimination and historical trauma, and other factors that may be related to suicide risk. Below is a closer look at why is it is important to understand the factors that lead to suicide, and why it is important to bring such awareness to our audiences.

Although National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month ends at the end of July, Family & Children’s Services remains committed and continues to work with other local community partners and national organizations such as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health to educate communities about the importance of improving access to mental health care and treatment for minorities and to help break down other barriers such as negative perceptions about mental illness.

“Ideally, prevention addresses all levels of influence: individual, relationship, community, and societal,” the CDC said. “Effective prevention strategies are needed to promote awareness of suicide and encourage a commitment to social change.”

At Family & Children’s Services, there are resources such as the COPES crisis and emotional support line (918.744.4800) and the COVID Mental Health Hub that serve as initial points of contact to reach out to communities.

At a Glance: Suicide Rates Are Rising

Black/African American:

Black and African American people living below poverty are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress as those living over two times the poverty level. [CDC]
Men of African descent are nine times more likely than White men to be victims of homicide.
Historical adversity translates to socioeconomic disparities experienced by Black and African American people, which is linked to mental health. [Source]
Adult Blacks and African Americans are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than adult Whites. [CDC]

Latinx:

Latinx parents may expedite assimilation in their children by promoting adoption of American culture, leading to internalized racism which can cause depression and low self-esteem.
Latina adolescents attempt suicide at higher rates than other gender/ethnic groups: 20% of Latina adolescents report a plan to commit suicide and 11.1% attempt suicide.

Asian American:

Xenophobic racism against Asian Americans has surged as the coronavirus sweeps the U.S., with reports of hate crimes averaging approximately 100 per day.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Asian Americans ages 15-34.
One study found that 70% of Southeast Asian refugees receiving mental health care were diagnosed with PTSD.

Native American/Indigenous:

Due to high levels of poverty, many Native Americans face economic barriers that prevent them from receiving treatment. [Source]
Compared to Whites, three times as many Native Americans lack health insurance – 37% compared to 6.3%. Approximately 2.5 million Native Americans rely on the Indian Health Service for care. [Source]
Native Americans who meet the criteria for depression, anxiety, or substance abuse disorders are significantly more likely to seek help from a spiritual healer than from specialty or other medical sources. [Source]