Suicide among Native Americans: A Compilation of Findings

Suicide among Native Americans has received much attention in the recent literature. These reports have primarily focused upon single, specific tribal groups. While the suicide rate for Indians as a whole is equal to or greater than that for the nation, undue emphasis upon those tribes having especially high suicide rates has created the general impression that all Indian groups have high rates. The wide variations that exist among the tribes are sometimes noted but often they are overlooked or ignored. The results of the available studies of suicide among the various Indian tribal groups are presented here along with some implications for further research.