Associations Between Risk Behaviors and Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts: Do Racial/Ethnic Variations in Associations Account for Increased Risk of Suicidal Behaviors Among Hispanic/Latina 9th- to 12th-Grade Female Students?

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify factors that may account for the disproportionately high prevalence of suicidal behaviors among Hispanic/Latina youth by examining whether associations of health risk behaviors with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts vary by race/ethnicity among female students. Data from the school-based 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed. Analyses were conducted among female students in grades 9 through 12 and included 21 risk behaviors related to unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus; physical activity; obesity and weight control; and perceived health status. With the exception of physical activity behaviors and obesity, all risk behaviors examined were associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Associations of risk behaviors with suicidal ideation varied by race/ethnicity for 5 of 21 behaviors, and for 0 of 21 behaviors for suicide attempts. Stratified analyses provided little insight into factors that may account for the higher prevalence of suicidal behaviors among Hispanic/Latina female students. These results suggest that the increased risk of suicidal behaviors among Hispanic/Latina female students cannot be accounted for by differential associations with these selected risk behaviors. Other factors, such as family characteristics, acculturation, and the socio-cultural environment, should be examined in future research.

Keywords:

• adolescents
• race/ethnicity
• risk behaviors
• suicide

Acknowledgments

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Notes

Note. ^a Attempted suicide one or more time. ^b Non-Hispanic; W = White; B = African-American/black; H = Hispanic/Latina; 9 = 9th grade; 10 = 10th grade; 11 = 11th grade; 12 = 12th grade. Superscript letters used to indicate pairwise differences that are statistically significant according to independent sample t-tests at p < .05; subgroup denoted by superscript has lower prevalence than row subgroup.

Note. Bold indicates p < 0.01.

^a Seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months before the survey. ^b Attempted suicide one or more times during the 12 months before the survey. ^c Models adjusted for race/ethnicity and grade.

*During the 12 months before the survey.

†During the 30 days before the survey.

^§Were physically active doing any kind of physical activity that increased their heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time for a total of at least 60 minutes/day on ≥5 days during the 7 days before the survey.

^¶Did not participate in 60 or more minutes of any kind of physical activity that increased their heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time on ≥1 day during the 7 days before the survey.

**On an average school day.

‡Students who were ≥95th percentile for body mass index, by age and sex, based on reference data.

^§§Went without eating for ≥24 hours to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight; took diet pills, powders, or liquids to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight; or vomited or took laxatives to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight during the 30 days before the survey.

Note. Bold indicates p < 0.05.

^a Models adjusted for grade.

^b Seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months before the survey.

*During the 12 months before the survey.

†Students who were ≥95th percentile for body mass index, by age and sex, based on reference data.

This article not subject to U.S. copyright law.