Suicide rates in the United States are highest among American Indian, Alaska Native, and white populations. However, youth suicide rates are rising in African American and Asian communities.
Suicide, the taking of one’s own life, can have profound effects on families and communities. For various reasons, suicide may be more prevalent in some communities than others. In the United States, suicide rates can vary depending on race or ethnicity.
Reasons for the disparities in suicide rates among races include:
- access to mental health resources
- discrimination or trauma specific to racial identity
- socioeconomic and systemic issues
- cultural differences
Understanding that different communities and unique identities exist within each group and ethnicity, no specific reason will apply to everyone within a group. Still, we can identify specific trends that are more prevalent within each community.
Suicide prevention
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, you’re not alone. Help is available right now:
- Call the
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day at 988.
- Text “HOME” to the
Crisis Text Line at 741741.
- Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with
Befrienders Worldwide.
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Suicide rates are much higher in some racial and ethnic groups in the United States than in others.
The highest rates are among non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native populations — nearly four times higher than the rates among Asian American populations.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source from 2022 reveals the following age-adjusted suicide rates:
Race or ethnicityDeaths by suicide per 100,000 peoplenon-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native27.1non-Hispanic white17.6non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander14.3non-Hispanic multiracial10.5non-Hispanic Black9.0Hispanic8.1non-Hispanic Asian6.9
But numbers don’t tell the entire story. Beneath these figures lie other emerging trends that reveal a bigger picture. And within each community, specific factors contribute to these disparities.
How have suicide rates changed in recent years?
After years of increases across all races, suicide rates decreased Trusted Source in 2019 and 2020. However, rates began to increase again in 2021, especially among people of color and young people.
American Indian and Alaska Native populations have the highest suicide rate among ethnic groups in the United States, according to the CDC Trusted Source. Still, that data may be incomplete due to cultural reasons.
Nearly three-quarters Trusted Source of American Indian and Alaska Native people who died by suicide in 2022 were 44 years old or younger. According to the Office of Minority Health (OMH), suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 34 years in this population. The OMH also notes that high school students in this population were 40% more likely to attempt suicide in 2023.
These high suicide rates may have strong links to the long history of systemic oppression American Indian and Alaska Native communities have faced. Research from 2022 links suicides and suicide attempts in these communities to historical trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A 2022 study Trusted Source from the CDC found that American Indian and Alaska Native people who died by suicide were more likely than people of other races to:
- have
alcohol use disorder- use
amphetamines or cannabis (but not other drugs)
- experience relationship problems or significant loss
Only about 2 in 5 had a diagnosis of a mental health condition. Experts think this may be due to a lack of accessible mental health services, particularly in rural areas.
Non-Hispanic white people in the United States have a suicide rate a bit higher than the national average. This is largely due to higher suicide rates among white males 25 to 64 years old Trusted Source, particularly in those with a high school education or less.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, more than two-thirds of all suicide deaths in the United States in 2022 were white males.
Still, in 2022, white people were the only racial group to show a decline in overall suicide rates, dropping 3.9%Trusted Source from 2018. The recent decline reverses an 18-year trend Trusted Source of rising suicide rates among white U.S. residents.
Historically, people who identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander have been grouped with Asian Americans for data collection purposes. But several distinct communities exist within these definitions. Acknowledging the differences may be key to understanding the disparity in suicide rates between these groups.
For example, a 2024 study found that Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adolescents were much more likely to have suicidal thoughts than youth with Chinese or Indian backgrounds.
Researchers also found significant differences in rates between young people who identified with one race (Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander) and those who identified as multiracial.
According to a 2022 study, suicide risk factors for youth in this population include:
- a history of
self-harm- using illegal drugs
- experiencing
bullyingResearchers also found that Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island youth were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide than their white peers when depressive symptoms were present. Study authors say this stresses the importance of screening for depressive symptoms in this population.
Suicide rates among non-Hispanic Black people in the United States rose 19.2%Trusted Source from 2018 to 2021, the second highest among any racial group. This was largely fueled by an increase in Black youth suicide rates, which rose 36.6% in the same time frame.
In 2021, Black high school students were 60% more likely than their white peers to attempt suicide. While Black people die from suicide at about half the rate as white people, the rates are almost equal among those 15 to 19 years old.
And while males account for about 4 in 5Trusted Source suicides, including in Black populations, the rise in rates is highest among Black females ages 15 to 24 years.
A 2021 study observed key differences among varying age groups of Black youth with respect to risk factors and methods used. For example:
- In children under age 12,
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was a significant risk factor.
- Youth ages 12 to 14 were more likely to experience relationship problems and attempt more lethal means.
- Youth ages 15 to 17 were more likely to have depression or more complex social problems and use firearms.
Experts recommend targeted approaches to reach the youth who most need care. They also acknowledge that Black youth are less likely to receive mental health care due to several factors, including access and stigma.
According to 2017 research, Hispanic people often face stressors that are typical risk factors for suicide, such as socioeconomic challenges, migration, and discrimination. Still, Hispanic people in the United States die by suicide at less than half Trusted Source the rate of white people.
Researchers attribute this to two prevalent characteristics: religion, which plays an important role in many Hispanic communities, and familism, which is a cultural ideal that places family above self.
However, suicide rates have been rising steadily, especially among Hispanic females. Researchers also found that rates increased with later generations. For example, suicide rates are lower in the first generation of immigrants than in the next generation.
New immigrants still face unique challenges to their mental health. Among Hispanic immigrants and their relatives, a 2022 article notes that restrictive immigration policies, deportation fears, and anti-immigrant sentiment can contribute to worsening mental health and possibly an increase in suicidal ideation.
Among this group, risk factors for suicidal thoughts include:
- experiencing discrimination
- lower ethnic identity
- greater family conflict
- low sense of belonging
A concern in the Hispanic community is the lack of culturally competent mental health and suicide prevention programs. Language proficiency can often be a barrier, with 28% of Hispanic people in the United States not having proficiency in English.
Asian Americans have the lowest suicide rates among major racial groups in the United States, though rates can vary significantly between subgroups. However, like with other racial groups, suicide rates among Asian youth are rising sharply, especially for females.
Research from 2024 found that Asian American people who die by suicide are less likely to have risk factors common in other racial groups. For example, they’re less likely to be male, married, or use alcohol or drugs. They’re also less likely to have mental health, relationship, or legal problems.
This can create challenges in identifying people who may need help. However, known risk factors in this racial group include:
- living in disadvantaged communities
- residential instability
- mixed race or ethnicity
A unique risk factor in this population, especially for women, is the model minority myth. This myth creates a false standard for success for many people of Asian descent and can be a significant stressor.
Identity and suicide rates: Other factors
Race can often be an important aspect of who we are, but it’s not all that we are. We all identify with several groups based on culture, gender, location, interests, and more. Other factors related to your identity that may influence suicide risk include Trusted Source:
- being
LGBTQ+- being a veteran
- having a disability
- working in certain industries
- living in certain areas (the Mountain West and Alaska have the
highest rates)
Read more: “Who Is at Risk of Suicide?”
Some of the reasons for the racial disparities in suicide rates are deep-rooted and systemic.
Overcoming these challenges would not only require action and advocacy from family members, community members, and healthcare professionals but also structural changes from government, institutional, and corporate entities. These include:
- improving access to mental health services, such as strengthening telehealth services
- providing
cultural competency training to mental health professionals
- improving racial and ethnic diversity among mental health professionals
- investing in targeted and
equitable mental health and suicide prevention programs
- culturally adapting existing suicide prevention strategies
- increased funding for youth crisis intervention teams
Experts also recommend Trusted Source advocating for structural changes that improve economic and social conditions, which can have a significant effect on suicide risk.
In our own families and communities, we can be mindful of the unique risk factors that lead to higher suicide rates and facilitate atmospheres where people feel safe to talk about their mental health.
Read more: “My Friend Is Talking About Suicide. How Can I Help?”
Suicide rates have fluctuated over the years, but significant disparities across racial and ethnic groups have persisted.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/james-donaldson-on-mental-health-understanding-and-addressing-racial-disparities-in-suicide-rates/
