The Suicidal Indian: Exploring the State of Mental Health and Healthcare in the Native American community
Introduction
In a 1975 article in the Journal of Psychiatry, James Shore tells us the story behind the conception of the stereotype of the "suicidal Indian." In 1968, Senator Robert Kennedy visited the intermountain Indian reservation on the same day the community had experienced a suicide related death. Becoming the topic of conversation for the day, American Indian suicide came to the attention of the U.S. government resulting in the discovery that the rate of suicide within the American Indian population was approximately 100 per 100,000, almost ten times the national average.( Tomren 1999). American Indians and Alaska Indians (AI/AN) exhibit suicide-related behaviors at rates much higher than the general population (Manson 2003). Suicide-related behavior is described as suicide, suicide attempts, and suicide ideation. American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of suicide of all ethnic groups in the United States (15-24yrs.). Suicide is the second leading cause of death for American Indian youth. As recently as 2001, there were 4 million American Indian and Alaskan American Indian people in the Unites States representing only 1.5% of the total population. They are a fairly young population with the mean age of an American Indian being 26 years. (Cameron2001) Because they are a very small population it is extremely important to bring to light the issues that impact the preservation of the culture. In this paper I hope to tackle the topic of suicide inside the American Indian culture because if continued at this rate of prevalence the culture will indeed become endangered.
There are three aims for this research paper. The first aim is to examine the cultural factors that impact the state of mental health and mental healthcare for American Indians. The second aim is to further investigate how these factors explain the excessive rates... [continues]
Introduction
In a 1975 article in the Journal of Psychiatry, James Shore tells us the story behind the conception of the stereotype of the "suicidal Indian." In 1968, Senator Robert Kennedy visited the intermountain Indian reservation on the same day the community had experienced a suicide related death. Becoming the topic of conversation for the day, American Indian suicide came to the attention of the U.S. government resulting in the discovery that the rate of suicide within the American Indian population was approximately 100 per 100,000, almost ten times the national average.( Tomren 1999). American Indians and Alaska Indians (AI/AN) exhibit suicide-related behaviors at rates much higher than the general population (Manson 2003). Suicide-related behavior is described as suicide, suicide attempts, and suicide ideation. American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of suicide of all ethnic groups in the United States (15-24yrs.). Suicide is the second leading cause of death for American Indian youth. As recently as 2001, there were 4 million American Indian and Alaskan American Indian people in the Unites States representing only 1.5% of the total population. They are a fairly young population with the mean age of an American Indian being 26 years. (Cameron2001) Because they are a very small population it is extremely important to bring to light the issues that impact the preservation of the culture. In this paper I hope to tackle the topic of suicide inside the American Indian culture because if continued at this rate of prevalence the culture will indeed become endangered.
There are three aims for this research paper. The first aim is to examine the cultural factors that impact the state of mental health and mental healthcare for American Indians. The second aim is to further investigate how these factors explain the excessive rates... [continues]
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(2005, 06). The Suicidal Indian: Exploring the State of Mental Health and Healthcare in the Native American Community. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 06, 2005, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Suicidal-Indian-Exploring-State-Mental-Health-59856.html
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"The Suicidal Indian: Exploring the State of Mental Health and Healthcare in the Native American Community" StudyMode.com. 06 2005. 06 2005 <http://www.studymode.com/essays/Suicidal-Indian-Exploring-State-Mental-Health-59856.html>.
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"The Suicidal Indian: Exploring the State of Mental Health and Healthcare in the Native American Community." StudyMode.com. 06, 2005. Accessed 06, 2005. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Suicidal-Indian-Exploring-State-Mental-Health-59856.html.
