The Surgeon General's Call To Action
To Prevent Suicide, 1999

At a Glance: Suicide Among Special Populations

• During the period from 1979-1992, suicide rates for Native Americans (a category that includes American Indians and Alaska Natives) were about 1.5 times the national rates. There were a disproportionate number of suicides among young male Native Americans during this period, as males 15-24 accounted for 64% of all suicides by Native Americans.
• Suicide rates are higher than the national average for some groups of Asian Americans. For example, the suicide rate among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the state of California is similar to that of the total population. However, in Hawaii the rate for AAPI’s jumps to 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.8 per 100,000 rate for all people residing there. Asian-American women have the highest suicide rate among women 65 or older.
• While the suicide rate among young people is greatest among young white males, from 1980 through 1996 the rate increased most rapidly among black males aged 15 to 19—more than doubling from 3.6 per 100,000 to 8.1 per 100,000.
• It has been widely reported that gay and lesbian youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than other youth and that 30 percent of all attempted or completed youth suicides are related to issues of sexual identity. There are no empirical data on completed suicides to support such assertions, but there is growing concern about an association between suicide risk and bisexuality or homosexuality for youth, particularly males. Increased attention has been focused on the need for empirically based and culturally competent research on the topic of gay, lesbian and bisexual suicide.
• In a survey of students in 151 high schools around the country, the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System found that Hispanic students (10.7%) were significantly more likely than white students (6.3%) to have reported a suicide attempt. Among Hispanic students, females (14.9%) were more than twice as likely as males (7.2%) to have reported a suicide attempt. But Hispanic male students (7.2%) were significantly more likely than white male students (3.2%) to report this behavior.

For more information, please contact the following offices:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
www.cdc.gov/ncipc
404-639-3286

Health Resources and Services Administration
www.hrsa.dhhs.gov
301-443-1989

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Suicide Research Consortium
www.nimh.nih.gov/research/suicide.htm
301-443-4536

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
www.samhsa.gov
301-443-8956

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health/Surgeon General 
www.surgeongeneral.gov
202-690-7694

Last revised: January 4, 2007