Citation

Arshanapally S, Werner KB, Sartor CE, Bucholz KK. Arch. Suicide Res. 2017; 22(4): 584-595.

Affiliation

Alcoholism Research Center, Department of Psychiatry , Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis , MO , United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2017.1387207

PMID

29120269

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the association between racial discrimination and suicidality (ideation, plan, or attempt) in African American adolescents and young adults (n = 806, mean age = 17.9 years).

METHODS: Structured psychiatric phone interviews were conducted in offspring and their mothers in a high-risk alcoholism family study.

RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses using offspring own racial discrimination as a predictor revealed elevated odds of suicidality, even after adjusting for correlated psychiatric conditions (OR = 1.76) but was reduced to non-significance after adjusting for maternal experiences of racial discrimination (OR = 3.19in males), depression, and problem drinking.

CONCLUSION: Findings support a link between racial discrimination and suicidality in African American youth that, for males, is partially explained by maternal racial discrimination.

Language: en

Keywords

African Americans; adolescents; racial discrimination; suicidality; young adults