Attempted Suicide and Associated Health Risk Behaviors Among Native American High School Students

Suicide represents the second-leading cause of death among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth aged 15-24 years. Data from the 2001 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Youth Risk Behavior Survey were used to examine the association between attempted suicide among high school students and unintentional injury and violence behaviors, sexual risk behaviors, tobacco use, and alcohol and other drug use. The study included students in BIA-funded high schools with 10 or more students enrolled in grades 9-12. Overall, 16% of BIA high school students attempted suicide one or more times in the 12 months preceding the survey. Females and males who attempted suicide were more likely than females and males who did not attempt suicide to engage in every risk behavior analyzed: unintentional injury and violence behaviors, sexual risk behaviors, tobacco use, and alcohol and other drug use. These data enable educators, school health professionals, and others who work with this population to better identify American Indian youth at risk for attempting suicide by recognizing the number and variety of health risk behaviors associated with attempted suicide.