Advertisement
AJPH
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

AJPH First Look, published online ahead of print Jun 2, 2005
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
AJPH.2004.040410v1
95/7/1238    most recent
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow purchase articles
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Right arrow Get other permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by May, P. A.
Right arrow Articles by DeBruyn, L. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by May, P. A.
Right arrow Articles by DeBruyn, L. M.
©
American Journal of Public Health, 10.2105/AJPH.2004.040410

Research and Practice

Outcome Evaluation of a Public Health Approach to Suicide Prevention in an American Indian Tribal Nation

Philip A. May 1*, Patricia Serna 2, Lance Hurt 2, Lemyra M. DeBruyn 3

1 The University of New Mexico
2 Mental Health Program
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pmay{at}unm.edu.


  Abstract

Objectives: This paper evaluates the efficacy of 15 years of a public health-oriented suicidal behavior prevention program among youth of an American Indian reservation. Methods: All suicides, attempts, and suicidal gestures were monitored. Age-specific analyses over time assess outcomes. Results: Both descriptive and linear regression analyses indicate that a substantial drop was recorded in suicidal gestures (R2 =.595, Beta = -.790, p = 000) and attempts (R2 =.322, Beta = -.609, p = .016). Suicidal deaths neither declined nor increased. Targeted age cohorts (11-18 years) benefited in both short and long term, as combined gestures and completions were reduced significantly for 19-24 year olds (p = .001) and for 11-18 year olds (p = .048). Overall, while suicidal deaths did not change, total self-destructive acts declined 87% (p = .000). Conclusions: Data from this community-based approach document a remarkable, downward trend in suicidal acts measured by both magnitude and temporal trends in the specifically-targeted age cohorts. The sequence of the decrease is indicative of program success.

Key Words: Community Health, Injury/Emergency Care/Violence, Mental Health, Prevention, Public Health Practice, Native Americans




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 AJPHHome page
B. Mullany, A. Barlow, N. Goklish, F. Larzelere-Hinton, M. Cwik, M. Craig, and J. T. Walkup
Toward Understanding Suicide Among Youths: Results From the White Mountain Apache Tribally Mandated Suicide Surveillance System, 2001-2006
Am J Public Health, October 1, 2009; 99(10): 1840 - 1848.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JAMAHome page
Alcohol and Suicide Among Racial/Ethnic Populations--17 States, 2005-2006
JAMA, August 19, 2009; 302(7): 733 - 734.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CMAJHome page
E. Desapriya and I. Pike
Promotion of traditional lifestyles.
Can. Med. Assoc. J., October 10, 2006; 175(8): 919 - 922.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Copyright © 2005 by the American Public Health Association