A Public Health Approach: Documenting the Risk and Protective Factors of Suicide Ideation in One American Indian Community.

Suicide is the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, and between 1999 and 2009 the greatest increases in suicide were among American Indians and Alaska Natives. The present study highlights the efforts of 1 American Indian community to prevent suicide using the public health approach as a framework. A survey was developed and administered by the community between March 2014 and July 2014 at various community events. The sample included 100 participants with a mean age of 15.62 years. Questions related to stress, suicide ideation, anxiety, self-esteem, and antisocial behaviors. Results from this study indicate that depression and stressful life events are the strongest predictors of suicide ideation among tribal youth. (APA PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)