Native Americans: Why Do They Have The Highest Suicide Rates?

A recent study released in April 2016 has found that suicide rates have reached their highest levels in the United States in nearly 30 years, with sharp increases in nearly every age group besides those over the age of 75. While the statistics are striking and often times disturbing, what resonates with me the most is that Native Americans had the steepest rise of all ethnicities in the US, with an 89% increase in women and a 38% increase in men. Further, the study indicates that without the appropriate intervention and treatment, these numbers will continue to rise at a rate that we have never seen before. So - I think - a key to preventing any further catastrophic levels of suicide in the Native American community is through awareness and through acknowledging the plight and world of the Native American. We must understand that many reservations are plagued with poverty, unemployment, domestic violence, sexual assault, alcoholism, and drug addiction. These circumstances are absolutely dire and without the necessary aid, they will only get worse, especially for children. About 25% of Native American children live in poverty, contrasting greatly with the 13% in the United States. Additionally, they are 17% less likely to graduate compared to the national average, and their risk for substance abuse is also much higher. They are also twice as likely to die before the age of 24 and have a 2.3% higher risk of exposure to trauma. So, clearly, Native American youth are the most vulnerable to suicide and in need of the most preventative aid. We must find ways to help and relieve the Native American community of this statistic because when any ethnicity thrives in the United States, we all thrive. Conversely, when one of us suffers, we all suffer. Let's educate ourselves and stay in touch with what our fellow Native American brothers and sisters are going through.