Covariate Health Determinants of Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Plans, and Suicide Attempts Among African American Males With and Without Major Depressive Episode

Abstract

This study aimed to examine risk of suicidal ideation, suicide plans, and suicide attempts among African American males with and without major depressive episodes while adjusting for covariates of age, education, and income. Data from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health were extracted and analyzed. We found data for 2,301 adult African American men with and without major depressive episodes, representing a population size of 13,210,069.53 in the United States. African American men with major depressive episodes were at higher risk for suicidal ideation and suicide planning than their counterparts without a major depressive episode. However, the two groups with and without major depressive episodes had equal risk chances for suicide attempts. A closer examination of suicide covariate variables among African American men with and without a major depressive episode furnishes critical distinctions between the two populations. This subtle distinction can facilitate more responsive, tailored suicide-prevention strategies for the male African American population, especially among the at-risk male adults in this group with major depressive episodes.

Highlights

• Major depressive episodes significantly predicted suicidal ideation and suicide plans among African American males.

• After adjustment for covariates, African American males with major depressive episodes had a higher risk of suicidal ideation and suicide plans than their counterparts without a major depressive episode.

• After adjustment for covariates, the risk of suicide attempts remained equal among African American males.

Keywords:

• African Americans
• covariates
• major depressive episodes
• national complex survey
• suicidal ideation
• suicide plans and attempts

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Areen Omary

Areen Omary, PhD, Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Texas A&M University System, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX. Uganda Richardson, MSW, LCSW, Helping Hands Family. Tameka Chambers, MSP, Department of Psychology, Kaplan University, Forte Lauderdale, FL.

Uganda Richardson

Areen Omary, PhD, Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Texas A&M University System, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX. Uganda Richardson, MSW, LCSW, Helping Hands Family. Tameka Chambers, MSP, Department of Psychology, Kaplan University, Forte Lauderdale, FL.

Tameka Chambers

Areen Omary, PhD, Department of Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, Texas A&M University System, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX. Uganda Richardson, MSW, LCSW, Helping Hands Family. Tameka Chambers, MSP, Department of Psychology, Kaplan University, Forte Lauderdale, FL.