Abstract
Introduction
Despite being at the highest risk of suicide, American Indian/Alaskan Native (AIAN)
emerging adults are underrepresented in mental health research. There is great diversity
in individual and community experiences and access within AIAN-identifying individuals,
prompting the need for research on risk and protective factors of suicidality within
AIAN-emerging adults.
Methods
Data from AIAN-identifying emerging adults (mean age = 24.4 years) collected between
2017-2020 (N=2,551) were drawn from the Healthy Minds Study, a national annual panel
study on mental/behavioral health within higher education settings. Multivariate logistic
regressions (conducted in 2022) were used to evaluate risk and protective factors
associated with suicidality (ideation, planning, attempt) by gender (male, female,
trans/gender non-binary).
Results
Suicidal ideation rates were high; over one in five AIAN emerging adults reported
ideation, 1 in ten reported planning, and 3% reported attempt in the prior year. AIAN
identifying as a gender minority (trans/non-binary) were three times more likely to
report suicidality across event type. Across all gender-identities, suicidality was
significantly associated with non-suicidal self-injury and self-perceived need for
help; flourishing was predictive of lower odds of suicidality event for male and female-identifying
AIAN students.
Conclusions
Suicidality is high for AIAN college-attending students, particularly for gender-minority
identifying students. Embracing a strength's based approach to highlight student awareness
of mental health services is critical. Future research should examine protective factors
as well as community and structural factors which might provide meaningful support
within and outside of university contexts for students facing individual, relational
or challenges within their communities.
Keywords
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Copyright
© 2023 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
