Effects of race and precipitating event on suicide versus nonsuicide death classification in a college sample

Associations Between Family Factors, Social Integration, and Suicidal Ideation Across the Life Course of an Urban African American Cohort

Suicide is a problem on the rise but not studied extensively among African Americans. It is critical to identify risk factors for suicidal ideation to reduce risk. This study examines whether family and social factors over the life course predict suicidal ideation among African American adults in midlife. We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses on data from a longitudinal cohort of African Americans first assessed in childhood to identify associations with suicidal ideation in midlife (ages 33-42). Findings suggested living without one's mother in childhood (vs. living with mother alone; aOR = 3.69, p = .017) and parental rule-setting in adolescence (aOR = 0.79, p = .047) were associated with suicidal ideation. Having a lifetime drug disorder (aOR = 2.19, p = .046) or major depression by young adulthood (aOR = 3.58, p < .001) was also associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation. Findings highlight the importance of intervention for children in mother-absent homes for improving mental health outcomes. Family interventions that promote parental rule-setting and addressing drug problems and depressive symptoms early in the life course offer an area for intervention to reduce suicide over the long term.

Familismo neutralizes the effects of discrimination on suicide-related thoughts and behaviors in Latinx young adults

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in rates of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors among Latinx young adults. Given Latinx young adults are one of the fastest growing subgroups in the United States, this raises significant public health concern. Perceived discrimination has consistently been identified as a risk factor and has been positively associated with depressive symptoms, further exacerbating risk for the development of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors. Critical to understanding Latinx mental health is familismo, a core cultural value that entails connectedness, dedication, commitment, and loyalty to family. Moreover, it involves seeking family for advice and support. The current study sought to examine depressive symptoms as mediator for the relation between perceived discrimination and suicide-related thoughts and behaviors while investigating familismo as a moderator in attenuating these relations within a college aged Latinx sample (N = 1037, 75.3% female, Mage = 21, SD = 4.49). Across models, depressive symptoms explained the relation between perceived discrimination and suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (p ≤0.001-0.024) with familismo significantly acting as moderator (p = .009). In exploring the protective effects of an important Latinx cultural value on a growing public health disparity, the current study provides novel insight that may be used to tailor and adapt current intervention and prevention efforts for Latinx young adults at risk for suicide-related thoughts and behaviors.

Perceived racism and suicide ideation: mediating role of depression but moderating role of religiosity among African American adults

Suicide is a public health problem for African Americans who are young and of working age. The purpose of this study was to examine mediated and moderated effects of perceived racism on suicide ideation in a community sample of 236 African American men and women. Measures of suicide ideation, depression symptoms, intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity, and perceived racism were administered. Perceived racial discrimination was directly and indirectly associated with suicide ideation. For participants who reported low levels of extrinsic religiosity, the mediated effect of perceived racism (via depression symptoms) was significant. These findings provide some insight into suicide vulnerability for specific subgroups of African Americans.

Problem drinking's associations with social structure and mental health care: race/ethnicity differences

This research used a nationally representative sample of 12,756 respondents self-identified as White, Black, Hispanic, or Asian to examine problem drinking in relationship to social structure and mental healthcare factors. Associations between problem drinking and particular factors varied by racial/ethnic group. Results also indicated that Whites' problem-drinking rates were higher than those of Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians. Americans sometimes use alcohol to manage stress stemming from social disadvantage and inadequate material resources. Across racial/ethnic groups, drinking level was associated with the type and degree of such disadvantage. Additionally, the presence of a mental health problem was associated with problem drinking.

Tobacco use and suicidality: latent patterns of co-occurrence among black adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Tobacco use is responsible for a considerable portion of the health disparities experienced by Blacks. In addition to its physiological effects, tobacco use has consistently been shown to be associated with suicidality among adolescents. The purpose of the present study is to describe the association between specific patterns of tobacco use behavior and those of suicidality among a nationally representative sample of Black high school students.

METHODS

Responses from Black adolescents (N = 2,931) who completed the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey were included. Latent class analysis was utilized to identify typologies based on two domains: (a) lifetime and recent tobacco use and (b) suicidality. The association between tobacco use class membership and suicidality class membership as well as the direct effects of age and gender on class membership was also investigated.

RESULTS

A significant proportion of Black youth reported smoking and suicidal behaviors. A 4-class model provided the best overall fit to the data for tobacco use behavior (nonsmokers, former smokers, light current smokers, and frequent current smokers); a 3-class model provided the best overall fit to the data for suicidality (not suicidal, mild suicidality, suicidal). Smoking status was associated with suicidality class membership, with more intense patterns of smoking related to increased probability of identification with both mild suicidality and being classified as suicidal compared with not suicidal.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that any current smoking status increases the likelihood of suicidality at least 5-fold and provides incentive to target this specific portion of the population of Black adolescent smokers.