Year: 2017 Source: Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. (2017). 47(1): 27-37. DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12259 SIEC No: 20170597

Alaska Native and American Indian people (AN/AIs) are disproportionately affected by suicide. Within a large AN/AI health service organization, demographic, clinical, and service utilization factors were compared between those with a suicide-related health visit and those without. Cases had higher odds of a behavioral health diagnosis, treatment for an injury, behavioral health specialty care visits, and opioid medication dispensation in the year prior to a suicide-related visit compared to gender-, age-, and residence- (urban versus rural) matched controls. Odds of a suicide-related visit were lower among those with private insurance and those with non-primary care ambulatory clinic visits.