Suicide and Race

Suicide and suicide attempts are intentional self-harm. Individuals who think about and plan suicide are at risk for completing suicide. Women have much lower rates of completed suicide but are eight times more likely to attempt suicide than men. Suicide deaths and attempts vary among groups of women according to their race and ethnicity; mortality from self-inflicted harm is highest among American Indian, Alaskan Native and white women and lowest among black, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander women. Strategies to reduce risk are most effective if they provide culturally appropriate interventions to the needs of a particular group.