Spring Break
New research links black suicides and religious community
Religion
J. Claire Wilson
Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: News
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The study found that regular church attendance, school and family, while important, are not the factors that keep Black youth from committing suicide, according to the study.
"The family is of course a critical element in mediating or moderating the negative life experiences that all youth are exposed to," Fitzpatrick said. "Nevertheless, in our study, using very specific kinds of protective, we found that the family had limited
impact on whether or not youth had thought about or attempted suicide. The same was true of school," Fitzpatrick said.
"Keep in mind that these measures of protection while very general ones and used often in the literature, may not be as culturally sensitive as they need to be in assessing family and school protection among racial and ethnic minorities," Fitzpatrick said.
Although Black women are the least likely to complete a suicide attempt than any other major minority group, according to the National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide's Web site, the suicide rate for Blacks ages 15-19 more than doubled to 8 suicides per 100,000 from 1980-1995.
Black women are less likely to attempt suicide because "of protective factors that work to safeguard them, such as an inner sense of music that is typified by gospel and blues, the natural toughening process African-American women are forced to endure, the development and maintenance of support networks and the belief that suicide is a 'white thing,'" as stated on the Web site.
Using his research and the findings of others should help policy makers, educators, and religious leaders formulate plans to keep Blacks students from attempting suicide or harboring suicidal thoughts, although Fitzpatrick said little research has been done on the mental health of Black Americans.
"The challenge, I think, is finding what protective mechanisms truly work and then
making every effort to reinforce and support them in any way that we can so
that families, schools, churches and communities as a whole recognize the
problem and work in common for a solution," Fitzpatrick said.
"The family is of course a critical element in mediating or moderating the negative life experiences that all youth are exposed to," Fitzpatrick said. "Nevertheless, in our study, using very specific kinds of protective, we found that the family had limited
impact on whether or not youth had thought about or attempted suicide. The same was true of school," Fitzpatrick said.
"Keep in mind that these measures of protection while very general ones and used often in the literature, may not be as culturally sensitive as they need to be in assessing family and school protection among racial and ethnic minorities," Fitzpatrick said.
Although Black women are the least likely to complete a suicide attempt than any other major minority group, according to the National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide's Web site, the suicide rate for Blacks ages 15-19 more than doubled to 8 suicides per 100,000 from 1980-1995.
Black women are less likely to attempt suicide because "of protective factors that work to safeguard them, such as an inner sense of music that is typified by gospel and blues, the natural toughening process African-American women are forced to endure, the development and maintenance of support networks and the belief that suicide is a 'white thing,'" as stated on the Web site.
Using his research and the findings of others should help policy makers, educators, and religious leaders formulate plans to keep Blacks students from attempting suicide or harboring suicidal thoughts, although Fitzpatrick said little research has been done on the mental health of Black Americans.
"The challenge, I think, is finding what protective mechanisms truly work and then
making every effort to reinforce and support them in any way that we can so
that families, schools, churches and communities as a whole recognize the
problem and work in common for a solution," Fitzpatrick said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Blackatheist
posted 8/28/07 @ 3:33 PM EST
That's BLACK FOLK'S PROBLEM. Religion has made us delusional.
We embrace the slave mentality and philosophy that LIFE BEGINS AFTER DEATH!
How sad!
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