Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts Among Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and Cuban Americans

This article compares the prevalence & sociodemographic correlates of suicidal ideation & suicide attempts in 3 Hispanic populations in the USA: Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, & Puerto Ricans. Lifetime reports of suicidal thoughts & behaviours of adults participating in the 1982-1984 Hispanic Health & Examination Survey were analyzed. Puerto Ricans reported consistently higher rates of suicidal ideation & attempts than either Mexican Americans or Cuban Americans. The correlates of suicidality varied by ethnicity. The differential suicide risks in these Hispanic populations point to the importance of the sociocultural context in understanding suicidality & the need for group-specific interventions. (69 refs.)