In the United States, suicidality is rising in all ethnic categories (CDC, 2023), but in African American communities it is rising more rapidly and reaching more alarming heights. For example, between 2007 and 2020, Black youth had the fastest-growing suicide rates of all their peers (Johns Hopkins, 2023), and Black youth ages 15-24 are more likely than their White counterparts to be drawn to suicidal thoughts and behaviors (Kann et al., 2017; Sheftall & Miller, 2021; Goodwill, 2022) but less likely to report their suicidal ideation or plans (Lindsay, Sheftall, & Joe, 2019) or to seek help for those challenges (Sheftall & Miller, 2021; Goodwill, 2022). Many complex and interwoven circumstances contribute to the ongoing crisis of death by suicide in the African American community, magnifying the need for and importance of preventive services, resources, tools, and safety measures tailored to address the unique challenges that African Americans face. Studies show that Black Americans utilize therapy and clinical treatment/counseling at lower rates than their non-Black counterparts. This may be due to a number of factors, including the legacy of serious medical mistrust carried down through history (Pederson, 2023), but the scarcity of culturally relevant/appropriate resources may be a significant factor as well (Congressional Black Caucus, 2019).
The following is a brief review of these and other major challenges to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of mental health and safety for African Americans, including:
- the scarcity of culture-specific tools and other resources,
- challenges to accessibility and acceptability of services,
- challenges to mental health literacy, and
- the need for population-focused services and resources.
Population of Focus: Black and African Americans
Links to Resources:
- Read the full article about Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention for African Americans: An Equity-focused Review of Resources
- Check out an infographic about Depression and Racial Trauma in the African American Community
- View a toolkit about Improving Mental Health Outcomes for Vulnerable Black Children and Youth
- Learn about suicide in U.S. Black and African American Communities
- Read a preliminary literature review about suicide among black youth
Date: 2024