Risk factors for suicide attempts among African American women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine psychological and interpersonal risk factors for suicidal behavior in low income, African American women; 285 African American women who reported being in a relationship with a partner in the past year were studied, 148 presented to the hospital following a suicide attempt, and 137 presented for general medical care. Cases were compared to controls with respect to psychological symptoms, alcohol and drug abuse, family violence (intimate partner abuse, childhood trauma), relationship discord, and social support. Psychological risk factors for suicide attempts at the univariate level included psychological distress [Crude Odds Ratio (COR) = 6.5], post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (COR = 3.8), hopelessness (COR = 7.7), and drug abuse (COR = 4.2). Interpersonal risk factors at the univariate level included relationship discord (COR = 4.0), physical partner abuse (COR = 2.5), nonphysical partner abuse (COR = 2.8), childhood maltreatment (COR = 3.2), and low levels of social support (COR = 2.6). A multivariate logistic regression model identified four variables that were strongly and independently associated with an increased risk for suicide attempts: psychological distress, hopelessness, drug abuse, and relationship discord. The model predicted suicide attempt status correctly 77% of the time. The results reveal that African American women who report high levels of psychological distress, hopelessness, drug use, and relationship discord should be assessed carefully for suicidal ideation and referred for appropriate mental health care. Depression and Anxiety 12:13–20, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Intimate Partner Violence and Its Health Impact on Ethnic Minority Women

“…Black women with experiences of IPV have been found to suffer from adverse mental health outcomes, as documented by cross-sectional studies and the only prospective cohort study. 18,31,50,55 In the recent prospective study, psychological, sexual, and physical IPV were independently associated with depression, suicidality, and PTSD among African American female emergency department patients. 49 Mental health symptoms also increased significantly with the amount of abuse experienced.…”

Differences in Female and Male Victims and Perpetrators of Partner Violence With Respect to WEB Scores

“…Several studies have demonstrated an association with IPV and increased levels of mental health symptoms (Coker et al, 2002;Kaslow et al, 2001). Romito, Turan, and De Marchi (2005) reported that compared with nonabused women, women who were currently experiencing IPV were almost 6 times more likely to report psychological distress, and women who had experienced IPV in the past were 3 times more likely to have psychological symptoms.…”

Protective Factors Against Suicide Attempt Risk Among African American Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

“…Low-income, African American women experience disproportionately high levels of IPV (Rennison & Planty, 2003) and psychosocial difficulties (West, 2002). One of the most negative sequelae of IPV among low-income African American women is an increased risk for suicidal behavior (Kaslow et al, 1998(Kaslow et al, , 2000Stark & Flitcraft, 1996;Thompson et al, 1999;Thompson, Kaslow, & Kingree, 2002). Women who report a history of IPV are more 1 Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.…”