Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth suicide mortality and previous mental health, suicidality and service use in Queensland, Australia, from 2001 to 2021

Background The current study aimed to compare current suicide rates, trends, previous treatment, suicidality and mental health diagnoses for First Nations and non-Indigenous young people who died by suicide. Methods Age-specific suicide rates (ASSRs) were calculated per 100,000 persons/year using suicides aged 10–19 years in the Queensland Suicide Register. Rate Ratios (RRs) and 95 % CIs compared […]

Development of “CULTURE FORWARD: A strengths and culture-based tool to protect our native youth from suicide”

Objective: Indigenous knowledge and practices promote American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN; Native) communities’ health and well-being. Historical losses and continued oppression have resulted in disproportionately higher AI/AN youth suicide rates. This article describes the development of a new national resource guide titled “CULTURE FORWARD” for tribal leaders and stakeholders to support youth suicide prevention efforts through […]

Characteristics of substance use and self-injury among American Indian adolescents who have engaged in binge drinking

Binge drinking appears to be a risk factor, facilitator, and method of suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury for some American Indian (AI) youth. We examined characteristics, patterns, and motivations for binge use among AI adolescents (N = 69; 10-19 years-old) who recently engaged in binge drinking. The majority used alcohol alone (53.7%) or a combination of […]

Predicting suicidal ideation among Native American high schoolers in California

Suicide is the leading cause of non-accidental death for Native American young people ages 15-24 years old. Concerningly, suicide rates have continued to rise over the past decade despite a myriad of prevention efforts. This shortcoming has urged some scholars to (re)examine key theoretical constructs to better direct suicide prevention efforts in tribal communities. Using […]

Evaluating the effectiveness of suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings as part of an American Indian/Alaska Native youth suicide prevention program

According to the Centers for Disease Control suicide rates in 2022 for American Indian/Alaska Native youth are 2.5 times higher than the national average. An Urban Indian Health Organization’s response to this crisis was to provide community and State-wide Gatekeeper trainings between 2012 and 2019 to teach trainees (N = 810) to respond appropriately to youth at-risk of […]

A systematic review of evaluated suicide prevention programs targeting Indigenous youth

Background: Indigenous young people have significantly higher suicide rates than their non-indigenous counterparts. There is a need for culturally appropriate and effective suicide prevention programs for this demographic. Aims: This review assesses suicide prevention programs that have been evaluated for indigenous youth in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Method: The databases MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched for […]

Suicide ideation and attempt in a community cohort of urban Aboriginal youth: A cross-sectional study

Background: There has been increasing attention over the last decade on the issue of indigenous youth suicide. A number of studies have documented the high prevalence of suicide behavior and mortality in Australia and internationally. However, no studies have focused on documenting the correlates of suicide behavior for indigenous youth in Australia. Aims: To examine the prevalence […]

Resilience to self-harm: A scoping review of protective factors that aid in recovery among marginalized young people

Background: Although a wide range of studies discuss prevalence and risk factors associated with self-harm, protective factors that are equally important are rarely explored. Moreover, much of our understanding of young individuals who engage in self-harm come from studies conducted in Western countries with very little emphasis on marginalized groups. Aim: This scoping review identifies […]