Race and Ethnicity

Data from the CDC web-based injury statistics query and reporting system
(WISQARS) database show that while completed suicide in children between the
ages of 5 and 9 is rare across all racial groups, differences begin to emerge
among youth aged 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 years. Between 1999 and 2005, suicide
in 10- to 14 years old was most prevalent among American Indian/Alaska natives,
followed by white youth, black youth, and asian / pasific islander youth.
In 15 to 19 years old, racial differences in suicide rates are much more
pronounced, among males 15 to 19 years old, american indians have the highest
rates (26,64 per 100.000), followed by whites (13,48 per 100.000), blacks (7,80
per 100.000), and asian/ pasific islander (6,75 per 100.000). in females, the
racial trends are similar, but less dramatic, for both american indian (9,40 per
100.000) and whites (3,00 per 100.000). suicide among asian / pasific islander
females between the ages of 15 and 19 (2,76 per 100.000) is somewhat more
common than in black females (1,38 per 100.000). these data are not well
understood. Although there is great variability among native american and
alaska native tribes, rates appear highest within tribes that have experienced
erosion of traditional culture and that have high rates delinquency, alcoholism,
and family disorganization. As african american suicide victims tend to be from
families of upper socioeconomics status (SES). It has been hypothesized that
greater educational and employment achievement has led to identification with
the majority. White culture, along with the erosion of some traditional protective
values. Although the overall rates of suicide are lower among hispanic youth,
suicide is, nevertheless, the third leading cause of death, and appears to be
growing, with firearms, suffocation, and poisoning being the most common
methods. More specifically, hispanics in grades 9 to 12, particularly females,
report more hopelessness, sadness, and suicidal ideation and attempts than non
hispanic white and non hispanic black youth. Hypothesized risk factors for this
group include mental illness, substance use, acculturative stress, family issues,
and low SES.

Sexual orientation
The rate of completed suicide for gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth is
comparable to heterosexual youth. It should be noted, however, that these youth
are thought to be more than twice as likely to attempt suicide than their
heterosexual peers. Their heightened risk for depression and suicide is
hypothesized to result from the additional stress of managing the stigma of
coming out and developing an identity as a gay man or lesbian woman.
Religion
Religion seems to have a protective effect and reduces the risk for
suicidality. This may be due to religious proscriptions againts suicide, community
involvement, and other beneficial effects of spirituality. However, the precise

mechanism is difficult to establish, as religion is often confounded with

reductionts in other risks, such as substance abuse and parental divorce,
precluding firm conclusions.

Psychopathology
As noted earlier in the text, most suicidal youth have a major psychiatric
disorder regardless of the severity of suicidality. Risk for suicide is estimated to
increase 35- fold in the face of psychiatric disorder and with each psychiatric
comorbidity, the likelihood of a suicide attempt increases by nearly 250%. It has
been suggested that most psychiatric disorders are associated with an increased
risk of suicide attempts, although the nature of this association changes during
the course of development. For example an association between suicide and
some disorders (e.g major depression, substance-use disorders, and attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) becomes more robust as youth move into
young adulthood, while the association with other disorders (eg., conduct
disorder and panic disorder) is attenuated.
As major depression and other depressive disorders are most commonly
associated with suicidality in youth, there has been some suggestion that
suicidality may represent a severe variant of depression rather than a separate
construct. In general, any form of psychopathology that is associated with high
levels of emotional reactivity and low levels of inhibition, and interferes with self
regulation, judgment, and perception, confers risk for suicide in youth. In
addition to depressive disorder, examples would include behavioral disorder,
substance-use disorders, psychosis, and borderline personality disorder