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As detailed in various studies, Black children ages 5 to 12 were two times more likely to die by suicide relative to white children, with young Black boys being particularly vulnerable to suicide risk. Notably, rates of suicide have also significantly increased among Black teenage girls in recent years.
In response to these concerns, leaders at the National Institutes of Health have allocated research funds and invited applications for projects promoting suicide prevention among Black youth.
Researchers have also begun to explore the links between structural forms of racism and suicide risk. For instance, a study published in 2020 found that being unfairly fired from a job and experiencing abuse from the police were linked to suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts among Black adults.
Despite these advances in research, it remains unclear whether any existing suicide prevention interventions account for the specific ways that racial discrimination impacts Black Americans’ psychological and emotional well-being.
Therefore, it will be essential for researchers, clinicians and community members to work together in promoting the mental health needs of Black children and adults, while simultaneously encouraging Black Americans to hold on to the hope that Frederick Douglass professed more than 175 years ago.