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- By Kaili Berg
A newly released CDC report has shed light on alarming suicide rates within the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, sparking urgent discussions on suicide prevention strategies.
During a media briefing on the report on Tuesday, the CDC revealed that AI/AN communities continue to experience some of the highest suicide rates in the United States. This comes as part of a broader concern about mental health challenges in marginalized communities across the country.
The report, presented by Dr. Debra Houry, CDC Deputy Director for Programming Science and Chief Medical Officer, was released on September 10, coinciding with World Suicide Prevention Day and Suicide Prevention Month.
“Often, suicide prevention focuses on helping people who are in crisis; while this is critically important, CDC’s approach to suicide prevention is to increase factors that promote resilience and to reduce factors that increase suicide risk, to keep people from ever getting to a crisis,” Dr. Houry stated in a media briefing.
The report, authored by Dr. Alison Cammack, a health scientist with the CDC’s Suicide Prevention Team, examined how county-level factors such as health insurance coverage, broadband internet access, and household income correlate with suicide rates across the country.
“Suicide rates were lowest in counties with higher levels of health insurance coverage, broadband internet access, and household income,” Dr. Cammack stated in a media briefing.
More significantly, the study found that AI/AN communities in counties with the highest access to these factors had suicide rates half as high as those in counties with the lowest access.
The findings highlight the stark disparities faced by AI/AN populations. For instance, suicide rates among AI/AN individuals were notably higher in counties with limited access to broadband internet and healthcare, reflecting the challenges many tribal communities face in securing vital services.
Health insurance, broadband internet, and household income were identified as critical factors linked to lower suicide rates.
“Health insurance coverage can help people access mental health and primary care services and treatment,” said Dr. Cammack. “High-speed internet access connects people to prevention resources, job opportunities, telehealth services, and friends and family. Household financial resources such as income and economic support can help families secure food, housing, healthcare, and other basic needs.”
Despite these findings, barriers to accessing such resources remain for many AI/AN individuals, particularly in rural and tribal areas.
“Developing programs and policies that improve housing stability, economic security, connection to community, internet access, and healthcare access are community-level conditions with policies that can save lives,” Dr. Houry said.
The CDC, alongside local organizations and tribal nations, continues to prioritize efforts to prevent suicide within AI/AN populations. CDC-funded programs specifically target health departments, tribes, and organizations to provide the resources and data necessary to inform suicide prevention strategies.
“By doing what works, we can have an impact,” Dr. Houry said. “I hope that the take-home message is that we can all make a difference by implementing these community-level prevention programs and identifying the warning signs. We can all save a life.”
The briefing concluded with a call to action for policymakers and communities alike to continue working toward providing accessible healthcare, economic support, and mental health services.
For those in crisis, help is available through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides free and confidential support 24/7.
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