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316666
American Indian Suicide Ideation: The Role of Adverse Events and Cultural Connectivity


Monday, November 2, 2015

Felicia Schanche Hodge, DrPH, School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Purpose: This paper examines suicide ideation reported by American Indian (AI) adults residing in rural/reservation sites in California. The association of adverse events experienced in childhood, adolescence and adulthood is assessed in relationship to cultural connectivity and suicide ideation.

Methods: Thirteen Indian health clinic registries formed the random household survey sampling frame (N = 457). Survey measures included socio-demographics, wellness, perceptions, health status/health conditions, suicide ideation, cultural connectivity (speaking tribal language, participating in AI practices, and feeling connected to community), and history of physical, sexual, verbal abuse and neglect. Statistical tests included Chi Square and Fisher’s Exact test, as well as multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results: The association of all categories of abuse in all life phases – childhood, adolescence, adulthood and suicide ideation was significant at p < 0.0001. Cultural connectivity (speaking tribal language, participating in AI practices, and feeling connected to community) was also found to be associated with perceptions of wellness and being physically and sexually abused in childhood and adolescence and sexually and verbally abused and neglected in adulthood.

Implications. Recommendations are for culturally-appropriate education and interventions emphasizing community and cultural connectivity for improving wellness status. Understanding the importance of identity and cultural bonding associated with suicide ideation will help to bring about policy changes and more effective programs to address the problem of suicide among American Indians.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify factors associated with suicide, adverse events and wellness perceptions among American Indians Discuss strategies for developing a culturally appropriate intervention to prevent suicide, among American Indians

Keyword(s): Native Americans, Suicide

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the PI of multiple federally funded funded grants that focus on prevention, symptom management and cultural constructs of chronic illness and have conducted research for 40 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3214.0: Poster#2// Mental Health Impact Assessment: Interrupting the Impact of Social Determinants