1
|
Burgess AW, Petreca V, Brucato G, Hoblock C, Mars M, Lamade RV, Dowdell EB. Murdered Elder Indigenous Women and Legal Outcomes. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241280084. [PMID: 39313938 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241280084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
This qualitative descriptive analysis examines 33 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women aged 50 years and older. The cases encompassed single murders, multiple murders, and mass stabbing events. The study found that the offender was known and/or identified in the majority of cases, with a significant portion resulting in guilty pleas or jury convictions. However, a notable portion of cases remained unsolved or ended with the offender's suicide. Alcohol and/or illicit substance abuse was prevalent; known substance abuse history was identified in victim and/or offender for nearly 70% of cases. Most murders occurred off tribal land and were perpetrated by men, typically younger than their victims, with some form of relationship to them. Themes for the resolved cases varied, including familial violence, sexual violence, and financial gain. The findings underscore the need for intervention strategies such as addressing substance abuse in adolescence, intervening early in relationship conflicts, training law enforcement in elder sexual homicide investigations, and providing clinical care for mental illness in cases involving family and partners. Additionally, the study highlights the necessity for a national database to track homicides involving elder Indigenous women, facilitating more effective prevention and response efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mak Mars
- Creator of Justice for Native People, Duluth, MN, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Petreca VG, Dowdell EB, Harding SL, Mars M, Pudvah E, Jeune J, Burgess AW. Murdered Indigenous Women: A Comparison Study of Victim and Perpetrator Patterns and Characteristics. JOURNAL OF FORENSIC NURSING 2024; 20:174-184. [PMID: 38488389 DOI: 10.1097/jfn.0000000000000481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The rate of violent crimes against Indigenous people, including murder and rape, is significantly higher than national averages. Even more concerning, Indigenous women and girls represent a large proportion of murdered and missing individuals in the United States. In addition to the murder rate of Indigenous women being higher than the national average, they are significantly more likely to experience rape or other types of sexual violence. The main goal of this study was to gain a better understanding of cases involving the homicide of Indigenous women and identify patterns associated with the violence committed against them. METHODS Cases of Indigenous women between the ages of 18 and 55 years were pulled from the database. Cases were coded and analyzed for information pertaining to victim, perpetrator, and crime characteristics. Descriptive analysis and test of association were performed. RESULTS/FINDINGS There was a statistical association between the nature of the relationship between perpetrators and victims and whether the crime occurred on a reservation, the race/ethnicity of the perpetrator, a victim's history of domestic violence, and the method and motive of murder. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Indigenous women are at an increased risk of victimization, including intimate partner violence and homicide. They also represent a group that has been marginalized, receiving little attention from the media, clinicians, researchers, and policy makers. The findings in this study highlight specific factors that may help to mitigate risk factors and/or enhance culturally competent clinical and forensic nursing practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mak Mars
- Justice for Native People, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Fond du Lac Ojibwe
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Price JH, Khubchandani J. Fatal Firearm Violence Among American Indians and Alaska Natives. J Community Health 2024; 49:492-498. [PMID: 38127297 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-023-01300-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
There is a dearth of population-based studies regarding firearm-related deaths and years of potential life lost among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) We Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) data for the three most recent years (2018-2020), we analyzed the demographic characteristics of AI/ANs who succumbed to firearm violence. AI/ANs averaged almost 500 firearm-related deaths per year. The majority of these deaths were observed among individuals 20-39 years of age (53%), males (84.4%), and in the West (55.3%). A plurality of these firearm-related deaths were suicides (48.9%) followed by homicides (43.5%). During the 3-year study period, the age-adjusted firearm death rate increased almost 5 times the growth of the AI/AN population. Also, a staggering 67,050 years of potential life were lost before the age of 80 years (YPLL80) during this period. Firearm suicides were responsible for the largest proportion of YPLL80s (48.5%). Traditional legal interventions [e.g., child access prevention (CAP) laws and extreme risk protection orders (ERPO)], if expanded to more states could potentially help reduce AI/AN firearm mortality. None of the 10 states with the highest firearm mortality of AI/AN have ERPOs and 8 of the 10 do not have CAP laws. Also, a renewed focus on cultural continuity and indigenous protective factors is essential to ameliorate the level of firearm violence in AI/ANs.
Collapse
|
4
|
Ropero-Miller JD, Pitts WJ, Imran A, Bell RA, Smiley-McDonald HM. Medicolegal death investigations on tribal lands-underrepresented or underserved? Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2024; 8:100480. [PMID: 38873100 PMCID: PMC11169077 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2024.100480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Death investigation on tribal lands and of American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) people is complex and not well documented. An analysis of data from the 2018 Census of Medical Examiner and Coroner Offices (CMEC) provides a timely update on the extent of medicolegal death investigations (MDIs) on federal and state-recognized tribal lands. An estimated 150 MEC offices serve tribal lands, however, 44 % of these offices (i.e., 4 % of MEC offices) do not track cases from tribal lands separately. MEC offices with a population of 25,000 to 250,000 that serve tribal lands had more resources and access to information to perform MDIs than all other MEC offices. Analysis also indicates that the median number of unidentified human remains cases from MECs serving tribal lands is 6 times higher than that of jurisdictions not serving tribal lands. This analysis begins to elucidate gaps in the nation's understanding of MDI on tribal lands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Wayne J. Pitts
- RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Anum Imran
- RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Ronny A. Bell
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, 301 Pharmacy Lane, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 27599
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rollman JE, Thomas M, Mercer Kollar LM, Ports KA, Clelland C, Satter DE, David-Ferdon C. American Indian and Alaska Native violence prevention efforts: a systematic review, 1980 to 2018. Inj Epidemiol 2024; 8:72. [PMID: 38504377 PMCID: PMC10949553 DOI: 10.1186/s40621-024-00488-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Violence is a serious public health concern disproportionately experienced by American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) people. While the burden and impact of violence may be explained by the presence of risk factors among this group, AIAN communities benefit from unique protective factors and universal strategies which may be tailored with tribal adaptations. We sought to identify and explore violence prevention strategies specific to AIAN populations. METHODS A review was conducted to systematically identify violence prevention programs, policies, and practices implemented in AIAN communities. We searched nine electronic databases and relevant gray literature released between January 1980 and June 2018. We included intervention-focused records targeting at least one violence topic area (child abuse/neglect, elder abuse, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, youth violence, and suicide) in a majority (> 50%) AIAN population. RESULTS A total of 5220 non-duplicate records were screened, yielding 318 full-text records. After applying exclusion criteria, 57 records describing 60 program, policy, or practice implementations of 43 unique interventions were identified. All six violence types were represented, although more than half (58%; n = 25/43) focused on suicide prevention. Among suicide prevention programs, the most common strategies were identifying and supporting people at risk (80%; n = 20), teaching coping and problem-solving skills (56%; n = 14), and promoting connectedness (48%; n = 12). Two-thirds of the implementations (67%; n = 40/60) were in fully (100%) AIAN communities. Programs were implemented across many settings, though schools were the most common (35%, n = 21/60) setting. Of the 60 total implementations, a majority (80%; n = 48) were new approaches developed by and for AIAN communities, while the remainder were AIAN adaptations of programs previously created for non-AIAN populations. Most implementations (60%; n = 36/60) provided some evaluation data although less than half (45%; n = 27/60) reported evaluation results. CONCLUSIONS This review identified many violence prevention strategies specific to AIAN populations. While programs developed in one tribe may not be completely generalizable to others, shared tribal risk and protective factors suggest programs could be successful across diverse communities. Findings indicate there is a need to develop and evaluate violence prevention programs, policies and practices for AIAN populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey E Rollman
- Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - M Thomas
- Independent Researcher, Gulf Breeze, FL, 32563, USA
| | - Laura M Mercer Kollar
- Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
| | - Katie A Ports
- American Institutes for Research, 10 South Riverside Plaza, 6th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60606, USA
| | - Carmen Clelland
- Indian Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20857, USA
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, 1825 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA, 30345, USA
| | - Delight E Satter
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, 1825 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA, 30345, USA
| | - Corinne David-Ferdon
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Waller BY, Joseph VA, Keyes KM. Racial inequities in homicide rates and homicide methods among Black and White women aged 25-44 years in the USA, 1999-2020: a cross-sectional time series study. Lancet 2024; 403:935-945. [PMID: 38342127 PMCID: PMC11018094 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)02279-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the USA, Black women aged 25-44 years are disproportionately murdered compared with their White counterparts. Despite ongoing efforts to reduce racial and structural inequities, the result of these efforts remains unclear, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS This study examined a cross-sectional time series of homicide death rates, by race, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research system. We included data for women aged 25-44 years between 1999 and 2020 among 30 states in the USA. Homicide death was classified using underlying cause and multiple cause of death codes; mortality rates were calculated per 100 000 based on US Census Bureau population sizes. Homicide methods were classified as firearm, cutting or piercing, and other. Firearm homicides were compared with other homicides with logistic regression including covariates of race, time, and their interaction. We report odds ratios and 95% CIs. FINDINGS In 2020, the homicide rate among Black women was 11·6 per 100 000, compared with 3 per 100 000 among White women. This inequity has persisted over time and is virtually unchanged since 1999. Homicide inequities vary across US states; in 11 states, racial inequities have increased since 1999. The racial inequity was greatest in Wisconsin, where in 2019-20, Black women aged 25-44 years were 20 times more likely to die by homicide than White women. Homicide by firearm is increasing in frequency; women in the USA had 2·44 (95% CI 2·14-2·78) times the odds of homicide involving firearms in 2019-20 compared with 1999-2003. Firearm homicide deaths are disproportionately concentrated among Black women in every region in the USA. INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that there is an urgent need to address homicide inequities among Black and White women in the USA. Enacting federal legislation that reduces gun access is a crucial step. Policy makers must address long-standing structural factors that underpin elevated gun violence by implementing sustainable wealth-building opportunities; developing desegregated, mixed income and affordable housing; and increasing green spaces in communities where Black women largely reside. FUNDING National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernadine Y Waller
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center-New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Victoria A Joseph
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine M Keyes
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Semenza DC, Baker N, Ziminski D. Firearm violence exposure and health in 2 national samples of Black and American Indian/Alaska Native adults. HEALTH AFFAIRS SCHOLAR 2023; 1:qxad036. [PMID: 38756674 PMCID: PMC10986215 DOI: 10.1093/haschl/qxad036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to firearm violence is widespread and disproportionately experienced by communities of color, with implications for broad health disparities. Survey data were collected from 2 nationally representative samples of Black (n = 3015) and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) (n = 527) adults in the United States in April and May 2023. The exposure measures were 4 types of firearm violence exposure. The outcome measures were self-rated health, number of poor physical health days, and number of poor mental health days. Regression results demonstrate that being threatened with a firearm and hearing about or witnessing a shooting were associated with poorer self-rated, mental, and physical health across both samples. Cumulative exposure to firearm violence was particularly associated with increasing harms to health for all outcomes. In general, individual and cumulative firearm violence exposures are linked to poorer health among Black and AI/AN adults in the United States. Significant enhancements and long-term investment are needed for firearm violence prevention to yield improvements to population health, particularly among communities burdened with high levels of exposure to firearm violence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Semenza
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08102, United States
- Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States
- New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States
| | - Nazsa Baker
- New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States
| | - Devon Ziminski
- New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States
- School of Social Work, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lawrence WR, Freedman ND, McGee-Avila JK, Berrington de González A, Chen Y, Emerson MA, Gee GC, Haozous EA, Haque AT, Inoue-Choi M, Jackson SS, Lord B, Nápoles AM, Pérez-Stable EJ, Vo JB, Williams F, Shiels MS. Trends in Mortality From Poisonings, Firearms, and All Other Injuries by Intent in the US, 1999-2020. JAMA Intern Med 2023; 183:849-856. [PMID: 37399025 PMCID: PMC10318548 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.2509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Importance Although deaths due to external causes are a leading cause of mortality in the US, trends over time by intent and demographic characteristics remain poorly understood. Objective To examine national trends in mortality rates due to external causes from 1999 to 2020 by intent (homicide, suicide, unintentional, and undetermined) and demographic characteristics. External causes were defined as poisonings (eg, drug overdose), firearms, and all other injuries, including motor vehicle injuries and falls. Given the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, US death rates for 2019 and 2020 were also compared. Design, Setting, and Participants Serial cross-sectional study using national death certificate data obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics and including all external causes of 3 813 894 deaths among individuals aged 20 years or older from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2020. Data analysis was conducted from January 20, 2022, to February 5, 2023. Exposures Age, sex, and race and ethnicity. Main Outcomes and Measures Trends in age-standardized mortality rates and average annual percentage change (AAPC) in rates calculated by intent (suicide, homicide, unintentional, and undetermined), age, sex, and race and ethnicity for each external cause. Results Between 1999 and 2020, there were 3 813 894 deaths due to external causes in the US. From 1999 to 2020, poisoning death rates increased annually (AAPC, 7.0%; 95% CI, 5.4%-8.7%). From 2014 to 2020, poisoning death rates increased the most among men (APC, 10.8%; 95% CI, 7.7%-14.0%). During the study period, poisoning death rates increased in all the racial and ethnic groups examined; the most rapid increase was among American Indian and Alaska Native individuals (AAPC, 9.2%; 95% CI, 7.4%-10.9%). During the study period, death rates for unintentional poisoning had the most rapid rate of increase (AAPC, 8.1%; 95% CI, 7.4%-8.9%). From 1999 to 2020, firearm death rates increased (AAPC, 1.1%; 95% CI, 0.7%-1.5%). From 2013 to 2020, firearm mortality increased by an average of 4.7% annually (95% CI, 2.9%-6.5%) among individuals aged 20 to 39 years. From 2014 to 2020, mortality from firearm homicides increased by an average of 6.9% annually (95% CI, 3.5%-10.4%). From 2019 to 2020, mortality rates from external causes accelerated further, largely from increases in unintentional poisoning, and homicide due to firearms and all other injuries. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this cross-sectional study suggest that from 1999 to 2020, death rates due to poisonings, firearms, and all other injuries increased substantially in the US. The rapid increase in deaths due to unintentional poisonings and firearm homicides is a national emergency that requires urgent public health interventions at the local and national levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wayne R. Lawrence
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Neal D. Freedman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Jennifer K. McGee-Avila
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Amy Berrington de González
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
- Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yingxi Chen
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Marc A. Emerson
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill
| | - Gilbert C. Gee
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles
| | - Emily A. Haozous
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Anika T. Haque
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Maki Inoue-Choi
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Sarah S. Jackson
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Brittany Lord
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Anna M. Nápoles
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable
- Office of the Director, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jacqueline B. Vo
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Faustine Williams
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Meredith S. Shiels
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
McPherson L. Homicides Involving American Indian and Alaska Native Individuals. JAMA 2022; 328:1181-1182. [PMID: 36166017 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2022.14817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
This Viewpoint discusses homicide rates among American Indian and Alaska Native individuals and the importance of utilizing existing strategies tailored to the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities to prevent violence and reduce these rates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lori McPherson
- T.C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia
- US Marshals Service, Washington, DC
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Stone D, Trinh E, Zhou H, Welder L, End of Horn P, Fowler K, Ivey-Stephenson A. Suicides Among American Indian or Alaska Native Persons - National Violent Death Reporting System, United States, 2015-2020. MMWR. MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2022; 71:1161-1168. [PMID: 36107803 PMCID: PMC9484806 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7137a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Compared with the general U.S. population, American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons, particularly those who are not Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) AI/AN, are disproportionately affected by suicide; rates among this group consistently surpass those among all other racial and ethnic groups (1). Suicide rates among non-Hispanic AI/AN persons increased nearly 20% from 2015 (20.0 per 100,000) to 2020 (23.9), compared with a <1% increase among the overall U.S. population (13.3 and 13.5, respectively) (1). Understanding characteristics of suicide among AI/AN persons is critical to developing and implementing effective prevention strategies. A 2018 report described suicides in 18 states among non-Hispanic AI/AN persons only (2). The current study used 2015-2020 National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) data among 49 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to examine differences in suicide characteristics and contributing circumstances among Hispanic and non-Hispanic AI/AN populations, including multiracial AI/AN. Results indicated higher odds across a range of circumstances, including 10 of 14 relationship problems (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] range = 1.2-3.8; 95% CI range = 1.0-5.3) and six of seven substance use problems (aOR range = 1.2-2.3; 95% CI range = 1.1-2.5), compared with non-AI/AN persons. Conversely, AI/AN decedents had reduced odds of having any current known mental health condition, any history of mental health or substance use treatment, and other common risk factors (aOR range = 0.6-0.8; 95% CI = 0.2-0.9). Suicide is preventable. Communities can implement a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention that addresses long-standing inequities affecting AI/AN populations (3).
Collapse
|