CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. The Nature and Scope of Suicide
2. Recognizing the Progressive Development of Suicide
3. Substance Abuse as a Major Contributor to Suicide
4. Suicide Across the Life Span
5. Special Populations and Suicide Risk
6. Prevention and Early Intervention for Suicide and Substance Abuse Problems

Supplements
References
Resources

Holding the Lifeline
A Guide to Suicide Prevention

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

In the United States, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are grouped together for Census purposes, although there are many differences in the groups in terms of ethnicity, language, culture, education, income level, English proficiency, and sociopolitical experience. ref

Accurate suicide data on Asian American communities overall may be underreported. Particular ethnicities, such as Japanese Americans or Chinese Americans, may have high suicide rates, possibly higher than the suicide rates for Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics. ref

The Asian American population has historically been an underserved population for mental health issues.

Data from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, for 2002, show that for violence-related deaths among the Asian/Pacific Islander populations, suicide was the leading cause of deaths for both sexes, aged 25 to 65 and over. ref

This shocking statistic serves to clarify just how serious the problem of suicide is in the Asian/Pacific Islander populations.

Slowly, there is a growing awareness both within and outside of the Asian American communities of the need for suicide prevention in particular and mental health services more generally. In May 2005, the Asian American Suicide Prevention Initiative (AASPI) sponsored a program called "Seeking the Light," which was held in the Chicago area to develop awareness and support for Asian American suicide attempters, survivors and the people close to them. ref

More and more Asian American organizations are working to reduce the stigma related to suicide through education and dialogue, along with presenting culturally competent models for suicide prevention, postvention, and intervention.

The New York Office of Mental Health, Community Outreach and Public Education runs a suicide prevention program for the general population called SPEAK. SPEAK has been specifically modified for the Chinese community. Kits in Chinese are available by calling 1-866-270-9857, or by E-mailing copllcp@omh.state.ny.us. The Web site is www.speakny.org.