Suicide and Race

American Indian/Alaskan Native Women (Non-Hispanic)

The U.S. government recognizes 564 Native American tribes, each with a unique culture. American Indian and Alaskan Native women have a suicide rate of 15.1 per 100,000, the highest among U.S. women. Suicide is among the top 10 leading causes of death for five age groups of American Indians and Alaskan Natives. It is a leading cause of death for girls ages 10 to 14 and young women ages 15 to 24; in both age groups, suffocation is the leading cause. For women ages 35 to 44, suicide is the fifth-leading cause of death, primarily from poisoning. Many deaths also result from firearms. Young Indian women have suicide rates two or three times higher than women in the general population. American Indian/Alaskan Native women face high rates of unemployment, alcohol and substance abuse, and domestic violence. Further, mental and physical health facilities available on reservations may lack the resources to address the individual and community needs that result in high levels of suicide.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Women (Non-Hispanic)

Asian and Pacific Islanders are a diverse group. Some have been in the United States for generations, while others are recent immigrants. The suicide rate for women in this group is 5.7 per 100,000. Self-inflicted harm is among the top 10 leading causes of death for all age groups between 10 and 64 years with suffocation the most common method used. This is the only racial/ethnic group in which drowning is a leading cause of suicide. Asian American women born in the United States report higher suicide ideation and attempts than the general population. In this group, women ages 18 to 34 are the most vulnerable to thinking about and planning suicide.

Black Women (Non-Hispanic)

The suicide death rate for black women, including African American and Caribbean females, is 5.0 per 100,000 in the United States. For women 10 to 34 in this group, suicide is among the top 10 causes of death. Among older black women, most suicides result from firearms, with handguns used four times more often than rifles or shotguns. Risk has been relatively low for black youth in the United States, but the rate has risen dramatically in recent years. African American girls are more likely to attempt suicide than Caribbean girls.

Suicide risk for African American women may be reduced by strong extended family ties and by religious beliefs, but few studies exist to validate this hypothesis.

Hispanic and White Women (Non-Hispanic)

Women who identify themselves as Hispanic represent many different countries. Hispanic women in the United States have a suicide rate of 4.9 per 100,000, the lowest rate among the groups included in U.S. statistics. Suicide is among the top 10 causes of death for females ages 10 to 44, with suffocation, poisoning, and firearms the leading means of self-inflicted harm.

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