Citation

Sorenson SB, Golding JM. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 1988; 18(4): 322-333.

Affiliation

University of California, Los Angeles.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3217961

Abstract

Self-reported suicide ideation and suicide attempts were examined among 2,393 Mexican-Americans (706 born in Mexico, 538 born in the United States) and non-Hispanic whites (1,149 born in the United States). Mexican-Americans born in Mexico reported significantly lower age- and gender-adjusted lifetime rates of suicide thoughts (4.5%, 2.7-6.3%) than Mexican-Americans born in the United States (13.0%, 10.0-15.9%), who reported significantly lower rates than non-Hispanic whites born in the United States (19.2%, 17.4-21.0%). Adjusted rates of suicide attempt were lowest among Mexican-Americans born in Mexico (1.6%, 0.6-2.6%) and higher among both Mexican-Americans (4.8%, 2.4-7.2%) and non-Hispanic whites (4.4%, 3.4-5.4%) born in the United States. Rates were not affected by degree of acculturation when immigration status was controlled. High schools and the Catholic church are suggested as sites for programs designed to prevent suicide and suicide attempts among Mexican-Americans.