Suicide, Alcohol Intoxication, and Age Among Whites and American Indians/Alaskan Natives. (17th December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Caetano, Raul; Kaplan, Mark S.; Kerr, William; McFarland, Bentson H.; Giesbrecht, Norman; Kaplan, Zoe
• Is Part Of: Alcoholism. Volume 44:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 492
• Page End: 500
• Publication Date: 2019-12-17
• Subjects: Alcohol -- Suicide -- Age -- National Violent Death Reporting System -- Race -- Ethnicity; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoolisme; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.14251
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-6008

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Among American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs), suicides are disproportionately high among those younger than 40 years of age. This paper examines suicide and alcohol intoxication (postmortem BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dl) by age among Whites and AI/ANs to better understand the reasons for the high rate of suicide among AI/ANs for those younger than 40. Methods: Data come from the restricted 2003 to 2016 National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), with postmortem information on 79, 150 White and AI/AN suicide decedents of both genders who had a BAC test in 32 states of the United States. Results: Among Whites, 39.3% of decedents legally intoxicated are younger than 40 years of age, while among AI/ANs the proportion is 72.9% ( p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression with data divided by age shows that in the 18 to 39 age group, AI/ANs are about 2 times more likely than Whites to have a postmortem BAC ≥ 0.08. Veteran status compared to nonveteran, and history of alcohol problems prior to suicide were also associated with BAC ≥ 0.08. Suicide methods other than by firearm and a report of the presence of 2 or more suicide precipitating circumstances were protective against BAC ≥ 0.08. Results for the age group 40 years of age and older mirror those for the younger group with 1 exception: Race/ethnicity was not associated with BAC level. Conclusions: The proportion of suicide decedents with a BAC ≥ 0.08 is higher among AI/ANs than Whites, especially among those 18 to 39 years of age. However, acute alcohol intoxication does not fully explain differences in suicide age structure between AI/ANs and Whites. Abstract : Using data from the 2003 to 2016 National Violent Death Reporting System, this paper examines alcohol intoxication among White and American Indian/ Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) suicide decedents by age. A significantly larger percent of AI/AN decedents than Whites had a positive BAC or BAC ≥ 0.08 (figure). Multivariate logistic regressions confirmed that the proportion of decedents with BAC ≥ 0.08 was higher among AI/AN than Whites, especially among those 18 to 39 years of age. This disparity between Whites and AI/ANs remains poorly understood.