1. Risk and Protective Factors for Suicidal Behaviors Among Pacific Youth in New Zealand.
- Author
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Teevale T, Lee AC, Tiatia-Seath J, Clark TC, Denny S, Bullen P, Fleming T, and Peiris-John RJ
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Family Relations, Female, Friends, Humans, Male, New Zealand epidemiology, Personal Satisfaction, Protective Factors, Risk Factors, Self-Injurious Behavior psychology, Suicide, Attempted psychology, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Self-Injurious Behavior epidemiology, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide, Attempted statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: New Zealand has the second highest youth suicide rate in the OECD and particularly among Pacific New Zealanders, who have a threefold higher risk of suicide attempt compared with the general population., Aims: Protective and risk factors for suicide attempts among New Zealand Pacific adolescents were assessed using data from Youth'12, an adolescent health and well-being survey., Method: This randomly selected nationally representative sample of New Zealand secondary school students included 1,445 Pacific high school students aged 12-17 years., Results: One in 10 (11.6%) Pacific adolescents reported attempting suicide. Risk factors for suicide included: being female, household food insecurity, low levels of family connections and family monitoring, life dissatisfaction, having a religious affiliation, and previous suicide by a family member or friend. Of those who had made a suicide attempt, 71% also experienced both suicide ideation and self-harm., Conclusion: This study suggests that given the high rates of suicide ideation and attempts among Pacific young people, targeted trials for new ways of support should be prioritized for this high-risk group. The Pacific family environment, which continues to be the critical space for intervening, and the school environment, as a provider of health services, were both protective of suicide attempt.
- Published
- 2016
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