Suicide Among Ethnic Minority Elderly: a Statistical and Psychosocial Perspective

This paper provides an overview of the statistical & psychosocial literature on suicide among ethnic minority elderly, specified as African Americans, Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, Hispanic Americans, & American Indians & Alaskan Natives. Data on the rates of completed suicide by the various groups are reviewed. Factors contributing to or preventing suicide in each group are summarized. The research implications of the existing data are discussed. Because of the sparsity of literature on suicide by older ethnic minorities, this study must be regarded as exploratory. Implications of the existing data for future research will be discussed. (35 refs.)