Youth Suicide Trends in California: an Examination of Immigrant and Ethnic Group Risk

This study investigates current foreign born & U.S. born differentials in suicide. A review of 32,928 California death certificates from 1970-1992 indicates that although foreign-born persons are underrepresented in the suicide deaths of 15-34 year-olds, any difference by ethnicity appears to be decreasing. Hispanics born outside the U.S. are at lower risk for suicide than U.S. born Hispanics. Non Hispanic white persons born outside the U.S. were at higher risk until 1990.