12-month and lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts among black adolescents in the National Survey of American Life.
OBJECTIVE
Provide nationally representative data on the prevalence and psychiatric correlates of suicidal ideation and attempts among African American and Caribbean black adolescents in the United States.


METHODS
Data on nonfatal suicidal behavior among 1,170 African American and Caribbean black adolescents aged 13 to 17 years are from the National Survey of American Life-Adolescent, a nationally representative household survey of adults with an attached adolescent sample conducted between February 2001 and June 2003.


RESULTS
Nationwide black adolescents reported having a lifetime prevalence of 7.5% for suicidal ideation and 2.7% for attempts. The 12-month prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt was 3.2% and 1.4%, respectively. Among all respondents, 4% of black American adolescents and 7% of female subjects were projected to attempt suicide by age 17 years. African American adolescents were approximately five times more likely than Caribbean black adolescents to attempt suicide. Almost half of the National Survey of American Life-Adolescent respondents who reported a suicide attempt had never met criteria for any of the DSM-IV disorders by the time of their attempts.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians should be trained to screen for suicidal behavior, even among those without DSM-IV disorders, when treating black adolescents, particularly female subjects. In addition, preventive efforts should consider ethnic differences in suicide risk and targeting nonclinical settings.
Joe
Sean
S
Dr. Joe is with the School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Dr. Baser is with the Institute for Social Research, and Drs. Neighbors, Caldwell, and Jackson are with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan. Electronic address: sjoe@umich.edu.
Baser
Raymond S
RS
Dr. Joe is with the School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Dr. Baser is with the Institute for Social Research, and Drs. Neighbors, Caldwell, and Jackson are with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan.
Neighbors
Harold W
HW
Dr. Joe is with the School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Dr. Baser is with the Institute for Social Research, and Drs. Neighbors, Caldwell, and Jackson are with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan.
Caldwell
Cleopatra H
CH
Dr. Joe is with the School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Dr. Baser is with the Institute for Social Research, and Drs. Neighbors, Caldwell, and Jackson are with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan.
Jackson
James S
JS
Dr. Joe is with the School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Dr. Baser is with the Institute for Social Research, and Drs. Neighbors, Caldwell, and Jackson are with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American