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Suicide among Hispanic teens is a serious issue; according to data revealed earlier in 2013 in JAMA Psychiatry, even though Hispanic teens traditionally have lower suicide rates compared to non-Hispanic whites, suicide ideation and attempts occur more frequently in Hispanic teens.
Dr. Jane Delgado, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, told VOXXI this is particularly true for Hispanic girls.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates of students in grades 9-12, significantly more Hispanic female students (13.5 percent) reported attempting suicide in the last year compared to non-Hispanic black (8.8 percent) and non-Hispanic white female students (7.9 percent). While that is the most recent data, the gap between Hispanics and other ethnicities when it comes to suicide ideation and attempts has not changed much through the years.
Earlier numbers from the American Association of Suicidology indicated:
- Suicide is a leading cause of death for Hispanics between the ages of 15 and 24.
- The use of firearms and suffocation are two of the primary methods used by Hispanics teens who attempt suicide.
- Top reasons attributed to suicide among Hispanic teens include: divorce, assimilation, mobility and affluence.
- Almost 40 percent of Hispanic high school students report feeling sad or hopeless within the last 12 months.
- 18 percent of Hispanic adolescents have reported seriously considering committing suicide in the last 12 months.
- Alcohol is detected in the blood of almost 40 percent of cases of suicide among Hispanic teens.
Read full story: http://voxxi.com/2013/12/26/more-suicide-hispanic-teens-how-know/
