Suicide Rates and Differences in Rates Between Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White Populations in the 30 Largest US Cities, 2008-2017

Objectives Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, and rates vary by race and ethnicity. An analysis of suicide across large US cities is absent from the literature. The objective of this study was to examine suicide rates among the total population, non-Hispanic Black population, and non-Hispanic White population in the United States and in the 30 largest US cities. Methods We used data from the National Vital Statistics System to calculate non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and total age-adjusted suicide rates for the 30 largest US cities and for the entire nation during 2 periods: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. We also examined absolute and relative differences in suicide rates among non-Hispanic White populations and non-Hispanic Black populations in each city. Results The overall age-adjusted suicide rate per 100 000 population in the United States increased significantly from 12.3 in 2008-2012 to 13.5 in 2013-2017. Total suicide rates were stable in most cities; rates increased significantly in only 1 city (Louisville), and rates decreased significantly in 2 cities (Boston and Memphis). The non-Hispanic White suicide rate was significantly higher—1.3 to 4.3 times higher—than the non-Hispanic Black suicide rate in 24 of 26 study cities during 2013-2017. From 2008-2012 to 2013-2017, non-Hispanic White suicide rates decreased significantly in 3 cities and increased significantly in 3 cities; non-Hispanic Black suicide rates increased significantly in 5 cities and decreased in none. Absolute differences in suicide rates among non-Hispanic White populations and non-Hispanic Black populations increased significantly in 1 city (Louisville) and decreased significantly in 2 cities (Memphis and Boston). Conclusions Our study may inform the use of evidence-based programs and practices to address population-level risk factors for suicide.

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Similarities and Differences in COVID-19 Awareness, Concern, and Symptoms by Race and Ethnicity in the United States: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.20001 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jeb Jones ◽

Patrick S Sullivan ◽

Travis H Sanchez ◽

Jodie L Guest ◽

Eric W Hall ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Race And Ethnicity ◽

Online Survey ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

The United States ◽

Control Measures ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Similarities And Differences ◽

Hispanic White

BACKGROUND Existing health disparities based on race and ethnicity in the United States are contributing to disparities in morbidity and mortality during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We conducted an online survey of American adults to assess similarities and differences by race and ethnicity with respect to COVID-19 symptoms, estimates of the extent of the pandemic, knowledge of control measures, and stigma. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe similarities and differences in COVID-19 symptoms, knowledge, and beliefs by race and ethnicity among adults in the United States. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey from March 27, 2020 through April 1, 2020. Participants were recruited on social media platforms and completed the survey on a secure web-based survey platform. We used chi-square tests to compare characteristics related to COVID-19 by race and ethnicity. Statistical tests were corrected using the Holm Bonferroni correction to account for multiple comparisons. RESULTS A total of 1435 participants completed the survey; 52 (3.6%) were Asian, 158 (11.0%) were non-Hispanic Black, 548 (38.2%) were Hispanic, 587 (40.9%) were non-Hispanic White, and 90 (6.3%) identified as other or multiple races. Only one symptom (sore throat) was found to be different based on race and ethnicity (<i>P</i>=.003); this symptom was less frequently reported by Asian (3/52, 5.8%), non-Hispanic Black (9/158, 5.7%), and other/multiple race (8/90, 8.9%) participants compared to those who were Hispanic (99/548, 18.1%) or non-Hispanic White (95/587, 16.2%). Non-Hispanic White and Asian participants were more likely to estimate that the number of current cases was at least 100,000 (<i>P</i>=.004) and were more likely to answer all 14 COVID-19 knowledge scale questions correctly (Asian participants, 13/52, 25.0%; non-Hispanic White participants, 180/587, 30.7%) compared to Hispanic (108/548, 19.7%) and non-Hispanic Black (25/158, 15.8%) participants. CONCLUSIONS We observed differences with respect to knowledge of appropriate methods to prevent infection by the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Deficits in knowledge of proper control methods may further exacerbate existing race/ethnicity disparities. Additional research is needed to identify trusted sources of information in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black communities and create effective messaging to disseminate correct COVID-19 prevention and treatment information.

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Social distancing in 1918 did not predict suicide rates in 43 large cities: A replication and rebuttal

10.31235/osf.io/8pc3m ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hampton Gray Gaddy

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Suicide Rate ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

Control Variable ◽

The United States ◽

Sociodemographic Variables ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Large Cities ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

The Social

Stack and Rockett (2021) have recently suggested that the social distancing requirements introduced in the United States during the main waves of the 1918–20 influenza pandemic caused a measurable increase in suicide rates. However, their model only included one reasonable control variable: an estimate of the mortality from the pandemic itself. Controlling for either the baseline suicide rate in 1917 or three sociodemographic variables associated with contemporary suicide rates reveals that the authors’ finding is spurious.

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SUICIDE TRENDS AND DISPARITIES AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES, 2008-2017

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2550 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S692-S692

Author(s):

Sanae El Ibrahimi ◽

Yunyu Xiao ◽

Matthew L Smith

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Suicide Rate ◽

Causes Of Death ◽

Age Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Suicide Mortality ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Life Issues ◽

End Of Life Issues

Abstract Background: Suicide ranks within the top fifteen causes of death among adults 55 and older in the United States and is a growing concern in the face of social isolation and other end-of-life issues. This study examined differences and trends in suicide rates and methods among older adults in the U.S. Methods: Suicide mortality rates from 2008-2017 were derived from the Multiple Cause of Death files in the CDC’s WONDER database. Suicide deaths were identified from the underlying causes of death using ICD-10 codes. Age-adjusted death rates (per 100,000) were calculated. Older adults were grouped into four age categories: 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, and 85+ years. Percent change in suicide rates between 2008-2017 were examined, which were then stratified by gender and top suicide methods. Results: Suicide rates increased by 16% among adults 55 years of age and older from 2008 to 2017 (15.4 vs 17.8 per 100,000 respectively). In 2017, the suicide rate among older adults was 27% higher than the general population (14.0 per 100,000). Suicide rates were significantly higher among men relative to women for those ages 85+ (14:1 ratio of males-to-females). However, females in the 65-74 age group experienced the highest increase of suicide rate (41%) compared to other females or males across age groups. The most common method of suicide was firearms, followed by poisoning and suffocation. Suffocation had the highest increase over time (37%). Conclusion: Rising suicide rates among older adults suggest the need for tailored intervention strategies that address upstream suicide-related risk factors.

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“I’m Not Spanish, I’m from Spain”: Spaniards’ Bifurcated Ethnicity and the Boundaries of Whiteness and Hispanic Panethnic Identity

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity ◽

10.1177/2332649218766388 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 85-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

José G. Soto-Márquez

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Race And Ethnicity ◽

Large Scale ◽

The United States ◽

Social Boundaries ◽

Everyday Experience ◽

Social Settings ◽

Depth Interviews ◽

Hispanic White ◽

The U.S

This study counters potentially premature demographic and sociological claims of a large-scale Hispanic transition into mainstream whiteness. Via in-depth interviews and ethnographic observations of recently arrived Spanish immigrants in the United States, it presents a distinctive shift in American categorization logic, whereby race and ethnicity switch in order of everyday importance. Despite Spanish immigrants’ direct links to Europe and few structural social boundaries between them and mainstream U.S. whites, their everyday experience is of a largely “symbolic whiteness” that is subservient to the more consequential and essentialist Hispanic panethnic identity. Forced to maneuver this unique “bifurcated ethnicity,” Spaniards highlight a theoretically important deviation from the established ethnic options for European coethnics in the United States. Overall, Spaniards’ ethnoracial adaptations and their identity vary by institutional sites, by social settings, and along gender lines. Their ethnic bifurcation brings into question the overall logic and stability of the U.S. Hispanic/white boundaries.

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The Relationship between Suicide Rates and Mental Health Provider Ratio

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling One + Two ◽

10.5038/2326-3652.11.1.4926 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Christian Bates ◽

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United States ◽

Suicide Rate ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

The United States ◽

Health Problems ◽

Mental Health Provider ◽

Health Provider ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

The Relationship

This project is an analysis of the relationship between suicide rates and mental health provider ratio within the United States. Data from 2018 are collected for each state regarding its suicide rate, mental health provider ratio, and percent of population unable to receive treatment for mental health problems. An initial analysis is made using suicide rates and mental health provider ratio, with no correlation being found. A second analysis is conducted, using multiple linear regression with the percent of individuals within each state who were unable to access treatment for their mental health problems being the confounding variable. Controlling for the percent of individuals within each state who were unable to access treatment for their mental health problems provided a significant correlation between suicide rate and mental health provider ratio (R2 = .961). This allows for further analysis, using integration to determine the average suicide rate using the equation of the trendlines for the graphs of both the unadjusted and adjusted data. The average suicide rate for the unadjusted graph is 16.32 per 100,000. For the adjusted graph, this number is 16.07 per 100,000. Findings imply that access to mental health providers and treatment availability decreases the amount of suicides within the United States.

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Trends in age distribution of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by race in the United States

10.31235/osf.io/7edgu ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Madeleine Short Fabic ◽

Yoonjoung Choi

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Race And Ethnicity ◽

Demographic Characteristic ◽

Age Distribution ◽

Reporting Quality ◽

Population Level ◽

The United States ◽

Quality Data ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Age Patterns

COVID-19 cases are quickly growing across the United States with numerous states reporting that the proportion of cases among young people is ballooning. COVID-19 data are typically presented cumulatively and by only one demographic characteristic. Understanding and communicating complex demographic trends is imperative to recognize population-level vulnerabilities and inform tailored public health responses. Using the latest COVID-19 Case Surveillance Public Use Data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we aim to: a) assess one dimension of reporting quality-- data completeness; and b) examine national time-trends in the age pattern of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths overall as well as by race and ethnicity. Reporting of race and ethnicity in COVID-19 cases has been persistently poor, multiple months into the pandemic. Our analysis also shows unequal and changing age-patterns among cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by race and ethnicity. Age-pattern differences between whites and other races are widening.

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Trends in Suicide Rates by Race and Ethnicity in the United States

JAMA Network Open ◽

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11563 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. e2111563

Author(s):

Rajeev Ramchand ◽

Joshua A. Gordon ◽

Jane L. Pearson

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Race And Ethnicity ◽

The United States ◽

Suicide Rates

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Educational Attainment and Suicide Rates in the United States

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.97.1.25-28 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 97 (1) ◽

pp. 25-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Ernest L. Abel ◽

Michael L. Kruger

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

United States ◽

Educational Attainment ◽

Suicide Rate ◽

Household Income ◽

College Graduates ◽

The United States ◽

Median Household Income ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

The Relationship

We examined the relationship between educational attainment and suicide rate in the United States for 2001. Suicide rates, adjusted for age, were compared with percentage of college graduates, median household income, and poverty in 50 states in 2001. The correlations of suicide rates with educational attainment and median household income were both negative and statistically significant. Poverty was not significantly related to suicide rates. We concluded that higher education and income were associated with a decrease in suicide rates in 2001. Data from other years require examination for this conclusion to be generalizable.

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Trends in Preterm-Related Infant Mortality by Race and Ethnicity, United States, 1999–2004

International Journal of Health Services ◽

10.2190/hs.37.4.c ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 635-641 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Marian F. MacDorman ◽

William M. Callaghan ◽

T. J. Mathews ◽

Donna L. Hoyert ◽

Kenneth D. Kochanek

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Mortality Rate ◽

Infant Mortality ◽

Race And Ethnicity ◽

The United States ◽

Infant Mortality Rate ◽

Black Mothers ◽

Infant Deaths ◽

Hispanic White

Trends in preterm-related causes of death were examined by maternal race and ethnicity. A grouping of preterm-related causes of infant death was created by identifying causes that were a direct cause or consequence of preterm birth. Cause-of-death categories were considered to be preterm-related when 75 percent or more of total infant deaths attributed to that cause were deaths of infants born preterm, and the cause was considered to be a direct consequence of preterm birth based on a clinical evaluation and review of the literature. In 2004, 36.5 percent of all infant deaths in the United States were preterm-related, up from 35.4 percent in 1999. The preterm-related infant mortality rate for non-Hispanic black mothers was 3.5 times higher and the rate for Puerto Rican mothers was 75 percent higher than for non-Hispanic white mothers. The preterm-related infant mortality rate for non-Hispanic black mothers was higher than the total infant mortality rate for non-Hispanic white, Mexican, and Asian or Pacific Islander mothers. The leveling off of the U.S. infant mortality decline since 2000 has been attributed in part to an increase in preterm and low-birthweight births. Continued tracking of preterm-related causes of infant death will improve our understanding of trends in infant mortality in the United States.

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Similarities and Differences in COVID-19 Awareness, Concern, and Symptoms by Race and Ethnicity in the United States: Cross-Sectional Survey

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/20001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (7) ◽

pp. e20001 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Jeb Jones ◽

Patrick S Sullivan ◽

Travis H Sanchez ◽

Jodie L Guest ◽

Eric W Hall ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Race And Ethnicity ◽

Online Survey ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

The United States ◽

Control Measures ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Similarities And Differences ◽

Hispanic White

Background Existing health disparities based on race and ethnicity in the United States are contributing to disparities in morbidity and mortality during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We conducted an online survey of American adults to assess similarities and differences by race and ethnicity with respect to COVID-19 symptoms, estimates of the extent of the pandemic, knowledge of control measures, and stigma. Objective The aim of this study was to describe similarities and differences in COVID-19 symptoms, knowledge, and beliefs by race and ethnicity among adults in the United States. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey from March 27, 2020 through April 1, 2020. Participants were recruited on social media platforms and completed the survey on a secure web-based survey platform. We used chi-square tests to compare characteristics related to COVID-19 by race and ethnicity. Statistical tests were corrected using the Holm Bonferroni correction to account for multiple comparisons. Results A total of 1435 participants completed the survey; 52 (3.6%) were Asian, 158 (11.0%) were non-Hispanic Black, 548 (38.2%) were Hispanic, 587 (40.9%) were non-Hispanic White, and 90 (6.3%) identified as other or multiple races. Only one symptom (sore throat) was found to be different based on race and ethnicity (P=.003); this symptom was less frequently reported by Asian (3/52, 5.8%), non-Hispanic Black (9/158, 5.7%), and other/multiple race (8/90, 8.9%) participants compared to those who were Hispanic (99/548, 18.1%) or non-Hispanic White (95/587, 16.2%). Non-Hispanic White and Asian participants were more likely to estimate that the number of current cases was at least 100,000 (P=.004) and were more likely to answer all 14 COVID-19 knowledge scale questions correctly (Asian participants, 13/52, 25.0%; non-Hispanic White participants, 180/587, 30.7%) compared to Hispanic (108/548, 19.7%) and non-Hispanic Black (25/158, 15.8%) participants. Conclusions We observed differences with respect to knowledge of appropriate methods to prevent infection by the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Deficits in knowledge of proper control methods may further exacerbate existing race/ethnicity disparities. Additional research is needed to identify trusted sources of information in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black communities and create effective messaging to disseminate correct COVID-19 prevention and treatment information.

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