Suicide refers to the act of taking one's own life voluntarily. Both complete and attempted
suicides are a common phenomenon in the United States today. American Indians and Alaska
Natives youths are the most affected among all the Native American youths. This paper will
discuss the summary of four studies highlighting the issue of suicide among the Native American
Community, show how many youths have been impacted by the issue, the solutions
recommended by the studies, and the major findings of the studies. American Indians have reported increasing cases of suicide between the year 2003 and
2015. Research shows that two in every ten suicide cases among the American Indian and Alaska
Natives (AI/AN) were preceded by an argument (Leavitt et al., 2018). Many successful and
attempted suicide cases are found to have been influenced by the death of a friend or close
relative among the American Indian and Alaska Natives. Such deaths had an odd of 2.4 times
whereas non-suicide death of a friend or close relatives had an odd of 1.7 times. Substance abuse
problems among the AI/AN decedents also contributed to the adolescent suicides and had an odd
of 1.8 times among the AI/AN (Leavitt et al. 2018). Leavitt et al. (2018) observed that AI/AN
decedents were likely to have abused alcohol and more likely to have tested positive for
marijuana and amphetamines hours before they committed suicide. Suicide cases in Native American Communities
The highest rate of substance abuse is among the Native Hawaiian and other Pacific
Islanders (NHPI), African-Americans and Asian Americans adolescents (AI/AN), and
multiracial adolescents. Subica & Wu (2018) used data collected between 1991 and 2015 by the
Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS). According to Subica & Wu (2018), suicidal thoughts are
more often associated with the use of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana. The AI/AN adolescents
were found to be highest in matters attempted suicide among all the studied groups due to abuse
of all drugs except heroin. The AI/AN youths have recorded the highest rates of suicides in the history of the U.S. compared to all other ethnic groups (Grossman, Milligan, & Deyo, 1991).
According to Grossman, Milligan, & Deyo (1991), the risk factors of suicide among adolescents
include; mental problems, alienation from family and community, exposure to suicidal attempts
by friends and family, alcohol consumption, past physical abuse, and poor general health. The
high rate of suicide among the AI/NA adolescent has also been stated by SAMHSA's Center for
Application of Prevention Technologies due to excess intake of alcohol following past traumatic
experiences (SCAPT, n.d). Native American communities affected by Suicide;

A total of 1,531 suicides were recorded between 2003 and 2014 among the American
Indians/Alaska Natives. Out of the total number, 150 or 9.8 percent were youths between the age
of 10 and 24, 396 or 25.9 percent were between the age of 18 and 24, 665 or 43.4 percent were
between the age of 35 and 44, 279 or 18.2 were between the age of 45 and 64, and 41 or 2.7
percent were above 65 years (Leavitt et al., 2018). The ratio of male to female of the affected
was 1,190 which represents 77.7 percent and 321 which represents 22.3 respectively. A total of
1,063 or 69.4 percent of American Indians/Alaska Natives impacted by the issue of suicide lived
in non-metropolitan areas. According to Leavitt et al. (2018), 645 or 42.1 percent of the
perpetrators used a firearm while 607 or 39.7 percent did it through hanging. Others committed
suicide though means such as poisoning at 175 or 11.4 percent, a motor vehicle at 41 0r 2.7
percent, sharp instruments at 24 or 1.6 percent, falls at 12 or 0.8 percent, and single method at 19
or 1.2 percent. Problems among intimate partners were found to be responsible for 39 percent
suicide cases among the AI/AN (Leavitt et al., 2018). Suicide cases in Native American Communities;

A total of 184, 494 adolescents in the United States were affected by the issue of alcohol,
cigarettes and marijuana use. The prevalence rate of alcohol used to be 75.32 percent, cigarettes
58.11 percent, and marijuana 40.55 percent. The current prevalence rate of alcohol is 44.51
percent, cigarettes at 24.58 percent and marijuana at 22.01 percent. Subica & Wu (2018)
observed that in the past one year, the prevalence rate of reported depressed mode among the
NHPI, AIAN, and multiracial adolescents was 28.46 percent, serious suicidal thoughts was 18.87
percent, suicide planning at 14.75 percent, and attempted suicide at 7.98 percent (Subica & Wu,
2018). Alcohol is the most abused substance by high school seniors in the U.S. at 70 percent,
followed by other illicit drugs at 49 percent, and tobacco at 34 percent. Nationally,
approximately 48 percent of AI/NA adolescents have a history of controlled substance abuse
(Subica & Wu, 2018). The rate of suicide among the AI/NA children between the age of 4 and
14 years is 6.6 and that of adolescents between the age of 15 and 24 years is 4.0 times higher
than their non-AINA peers. Most of the respondents reported using alcohol, cigarettes, or
marijuana before the age of 13 years (Subica & Wu, 2018).
The rate of suicide among the youths tripled in 30 years from 4.5 per 100,000 in 1950 to
13.1 per 100,000 in 1986. According to Grossman, Milligan, & Deyo, (1991), more than 2,100
youths committed suicide in the year 1987. The prevalence rate among the AINA adolescents in
1987 was extremely high at 26.8 per 100,000. For every successful suicide, it is estimated that
eight or more are attempted. In a report released by the National Adolescent Student Health
Survey, 11.1 percent of males and 17.5 percent of females of children between eighth and tenth
grade had harmed themselves in what seemed like attempted suicide.
The rate of suicide among adolescents in the United States varies with age, religion, and
ethnicity. It is, however, highest among the AI/NA youths at 14.7 percent for youths aged between 10 and 24 years. According to SAMHSA's Center for the Application of Prevention
Technologies (n.d), the high rate of suicide among the AI/NA youths is associated with drinking
more alcohol at an early age. This is true as 70 percent of AI/NA high school students reported
having ever drunk alcohol with 28.2 percent doing so before the age of 13 years.
The solution to addressing the issue of suicide among the Native American Communities
There is a need to find solutions to the high rates of suicide among the Native American
Communities. One of the effective ways of solving the issue is to set up mental health treatment
facilities in rural areas. According to Leavitt et al. (2018), most of the suicide cases are
associated with mental health problems and therefore the construction of mental health facilities
in the rural areas would bring a long-lasting solution to the issue. School-based programs can
also help solve the issue. The school-based programs would be the most effective in addressing
the issue of suicide among the AI/NA youths as they would reach a large number (Leavitt et al.,
2018). The school-based programs would also reach the AI/NA youths in isolated
nonmetropolitan areas. Community-level prevention strategies such as survivor support groups
and safe reporting of suicide by media can also help reduce the rate of suicide among the Native
American Communities (Leavitt et al., 2018). The community can also take it upon itself to
enforce laws that prohibit the sale of alcoholic drinks to minors and increasing the tax margin for
alcoholic manufacture as a way to mitigate the rate of suicide caused by alcoholic consumption.
Health and school officials can alleviate the suicide issue by introducing alcohol and
tobacco prevention programs. This would help ensure that the youths are aware of the negative
consequences of substance abuse. Measures should also be put in place to ensure that taking
alcohol and smoking of cigarettes and marijuana is not done near minors (Subica & Wu 2018). Suicide cases in Native American Communities;

This is because many children below the age of 13 learn how to take alcohol and smoke through
others who might be parents or neighbors. Regulations that ensure all adolescent are in schools is
another way to solve the issue (Subica & Wu 2018). To help solve the issue, the youths should
not be alienated from family and community; they should not closely associate with alcoholics,
and should frequently visit mental health facilities for tests. Therapies can also help adolescents
who have been exposed to traumatic experiences such as physical abuse in the past (Grossman,
Milligan, & Deyo, 1991). Read more
Positive attachment with parents and caregivers during the early life of a child can help
reduce the high cases of suicide. This is because growing under the watch responsible adults
such as teachers, family, and community elders inculcate the virtue of resilience in a child.
Positive attachment helps a child to speak out overwhelming issues with elders instead of
committing suicide. Teaching children to be responsible as well as develop self-control is
another way to overcome the issue. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to teach
adolescents how to perform house chores, take care of younger siblings, and cultural activities
such as making jewelry. Adolescents should also be taught to respect elders that prohibit abuse
of the substance. A sense of belonging in social groups and participating in religious activities
also helps prevent adolescents from indulging in substance abuse.
According to SAMHSA's Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (n.d),
positive youth development programs can also help reduce the suicidal rate among the Native
American Communities. Positive youth development programs help in building norms and
practices that are often overlooked in the community. Examples of such programs include the
American Indian Life Skills Developmental Program, family spirit, project venture, and Red
Cliff Wellness School Curriculum among others. Suicide cases in Native American Communities;

Major findings in the process
The American Indian and Alaska Natives have recorded the highest rates of adolescent
suicides in the history of the U.S. compared to all other ethnic groups. The risk factors of suicide
include arguments between partners which happen in two out of every ten cases, death of a
friend or close relative, and substance abuse. Of all ages, adolescents are the most affected by the
issue of suicide. The youths affected by suicide issues are between the age of 10 and 24 years
and the majority of them reported taking alcohol before they were 13 years. A total of 645 or
42.1 percent of those who committed suicide among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN)
did so using a firearm while 607 or 39.7 percent through hanging. Other ways used by the
suicide victims include poisoning at 175 or 11.4 percent, the motor vehicle at 41 0r 2.7 percent,
sharp instruments at 24 or 1.6 percent, falls at 12 or 0.8 percent, and a single method at 19 or 1.2
percent.
I also observed that the prevalence rate of substance use has stabilized from 75.32
percent, cigarettes 58.11 percent, and marijuana 40.55 percent decades ago to the current 44.51
percent for alcohol, 24.58 percent for cigarettes and 22.01 percent for marijuana. Alcohol is the
most abused substance by high school seniors in the U.S. at 70 percent, followed by other illicit
drugs at 49 percent, and tobacco at 34 percent. The rate of suicide among the youths tripled in 30
years from 4.5 per 100,000 in 1950 to 13.1 per 100,000 in 1986. For every successful suicide, it
is estimated that eight or more are attempted. Although the rate of suicide among adolescents in
the United States varies with age, religion, and ethnicity, it is highest among the AI/NA youths.
Recommended solutions for the high rate of suicide among the Native American Communities
include school-based programs, community-level programs, regulations prohibiting the sale of
alcohol to minors and high tax margins for all alcoholics, construction of mental health facilities in the rural areas, ensuring that all minors are in schools, therapies for adolescents exposed to
traumatic experiences in the past, and positive youth development programs. Suicide cases in Native American Communities;