Discuss how men and women differ in their efforts to end their lives. How do marriage, age, and ethnicity influence these differences?

What will be an ideal response?

Although women are more likely than men to attempt suicide, men use more lethal means (e.g., firearms or hanging versus barbiturates); thus, men are four times more likely to be successful. Suicide rates for young males age 15-24 rose more than 40 percent in the last decade (50% for males and 12% for females). The highest risk group of all is older white males, especially those who are not married. Being single, divorced, and widowed are all risk factors for suicide, with widowhood being a higher risk factor for white men and women and African American men, although at older ages divorce increases the risk. Marriage seems to be a buffer for men and women; single adolescent girls and single men in their thirties are especially at risk. The completed suicide rate for men is ten times that for women, although women attempt suicide three times as often as men.

Bearing in mind that older white males have the highest rate of completed suicides, in terms of ethnicity when combining males and females, Native American have the highest rate, followed by white Americans, Mexican Americans, African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Chinese Americans. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for American Indian youth, compared to being the third leading cause of death for white youngsters. Alcoholism, socioeconomic factors like poverty, and lack of validation of their cultural lifestyle are all particularly poignant risk factors for Native Americans.