American Indian Suicide—Fact and Fantasy^†

This report describes the first three years of a pilot project in suicide epidemiology and shows that the total American Indian population has equally significant differences in tribal comparisons, and clarifies previous misconceptions about the "American Indian suicide phenomenon".

Abstract

This is an epidemiology report on American Indian suicide patterns in the Pacific Northwest. The purpose of this report is to: (1) describe the first three years of a pilot project in suicide epidemiology, (2) demonstrate significant differences in tribal rates, (3) show that the total American Indian population has equally significant differences in tribal comparisons, and (4) clarify previous misconceptions about the "American Indian suicide phenomenon".