Report: Hispanic Suicide Rate Steady Amid National Rise

Suicide rates have increased nearly 30 percent nationwide since 2001, but Hispanics seem to be relatively immune to the change because of the support they receive from their family and their Latino community, a report from Kaiser Health News shows.

Latino youth still appear to be more vulnerable to suicide attempts – in 2017 approximately 33.7 percent of Hispanic students reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hope compared to 30.2 percent of white students and 29.2 percent of black students – but the higher rate has not resulted in a corresponding increase in suicide deaths among Latinos overall.

Per the Center for Disease and Control, suicide rates from 1999-2016 increased by nearly 30 percent in nearly every state. In Texas, the rate among non-Hispanic whites increased from 13.4 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2000 to 19.2 deaths per 100,000 in 2016. Among Hispanics, the rate has remained steady at 6.7 suicides per 100,000 residents in 2016.

The Kaiser report points to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry which found a linear association between "multiple dimensions of acculturation and lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts."

"Our results highlight protective aspects of the traditional Hispanic culture, such as high social support, coping strategies, and moral objections to suicide, which are modifiable factors and potential targets for public health interventions aimed at decreasing suicide risk."

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