TABLE 3.
Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances of Black Youth Suicide Decedents Aged 5–17 Years By Sex in the United States, From the National Violent Data Reporting System (NVDRS) (2003–2017)
| Boys (n = 447) |
Girls (n = 179) |
Statistic | df | p | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | n | % | n | % | |||
| Age (Mean/SD) | 14.6 | 2.3 | 14.5 | 2.0 | t = 0.74 | 624 | .461 |
| Ethnicity | FET | .754 | |||||
| Non-Hispanic | 433 | 96.9 | 171 | 95.5 | |||
| Hispanic | 10 | 2.2 | 6 | 3.4 | |||
| Unknown | 4 | 0.9 | 2 | 1.1 | |||
| Suicide method | χ2 = 31.55 | 2 | <.001 | ||||
| Hanging, strangulation, or suffocation | 256 | 57.3 | 133 | 74.3 | |||
| Firearm | 167 | 37.4 | 27 | 15.1 | |||
| Poisoning and other methodsa | 24 | 5.4 | 19 | 10.6 | |||
| Injury occurred at decedent’s residence (% yes) | 344 | 77.0 | 150 | 83.8 | χ2 = 5.45 | 1 | .065 |
| Precipitating circumstances b | |||||||
| Relationship problems | |||||||
| Boyfriend/girlfriend problem | 49 | 12.6 | 27 | 16.9 | χ2 = 1.77 | 1 | .183 |
| Boyfriend/girlfriend problem was a crisis | 16 | 4.1 | 14 | 8.8 | χ2 = 4.75 | 1 | .029 |
| Family problem | 105 | 26.9 | 50 | 31.3 | χ2 = 1.05 | 1 | .306 |
| Family problem was a crisis | 39 | 10.0 | 24 | 15.0 | χ2 = 2.80 | 1 | .094 |
| Friend problem | 73 | 18.7 | 30 | 18.8 | χ2 = 0.00 | 1 | .993 |
| Friend problem was a crisis | 5 | 1.3 | 3 | 1.9 | FET | .598 | |
| Interpersonal trauma and life stressors | |||||||
| Decedent had a history of abuse | 9 | 2.3 | 6 | 3.8 | χ2 = 0.89 | 1 | .346 |
| Suicide directly precipitated by abuse | 3 | 0.8 | 1 | 0.6 | FET | .857 | |
| Perpetrator of interpersonal violence | 18 | 4.6 | 3 | 1.9 | FET | .148 | |
| Victim of interpersonal violence | 2 | 0.5 | 3 | 1.9 | FET | .150 | |
| Involved in physical fight immediately before death | 5 | 1.3 | 0 | 0.0 | FET | .328 | |
| An argument or conflict led to the decedent’s death | 73 | 18.7 | 41 | 25.6 | χ2 = 3.29 | 1 | .070 |
| Timing of the argument that led to death | |||||||
| Injury occurred during argument | 5 | 1.3 | 2 | 1.3 | FET | >.999 | |
| Injury occurred within 24 hrs of argument | 43 | 11.0 | 31 | 19.4 | χ2 = 6.79 | 1 | .009 |
| Injury occurred between 24 hrs and 2 wk | 6 | 1.5 | 0 | 0.0 | FET | .188 | |
| Physical health problem | 7 | 1.8 | 8 | 5.0 | χ2 = 4.39 | 1 | .036 |
| School problem | 110 | 28.2 | 40 | 25.0 | χ2 = 0.59 | 1 | .443 |
| School problem was a crisis | 26 | 6.7 | 5 | 3.1 | χ2 = 2.68 | 1 | .102 |
| Death of friend or family member | 26 | 6.7 | 7 | 4.4 | χ2 = 1.06 | 1 | .304 |
| Crime and criminal activity | |||||||
| Recent criminal legal problem | 34 | 8.7 | 4 | 2.5 | FET | .009 | |
| Other legal problem | 9 | 2.3 | 1 | 0.6 | FET | .295 | |
| Suicide-related circumstances | |||||||
| History of suicidal thoughts or plans | 53 | 13.6 | 35 | 21.9 | χ2 = 5.80 | 1 | .016 |
| History of suicide attempt | 44 | 11.3 | 49 | 30.6 | χ2 = 30.21 | 1 | <.001 |
| Suicide intent disclosed within past month | 81 | 20.8 | 34 | 21.3 | χ2 = 0.02 | 1 | .900 |
| Suicide note | 64 | 16.4 | 60 | 37.5 | χ2 = 28.90 | 1 | <.001 |
| Recent suicide of friend or family member | 6 | 1.5 | 4 | 2.5 | FET | .487 | |
Note: FET = Fisher’s exact test.
a
Other suicide methods include fall, transportation-related, drowning, cut/pierce, fire/burn, overdose, and unspecified methods.
b
Precipitating circumstances were known in 550 youths: boys (n = 390); girls (n = 160).