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Suicide among young alaska native men: Community risk factors and alcohol control

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  • Berman, M.

Abstract

Objectives. I examined community risk factors that explained variation in suicide rates among young rural Alaska Native men, evaluating the effectiveness of local alcohol control as a public health policy to reduce this population's historically high vulnerability. Methods. I compiled suicide data, alcohol control status, and community-level social, cultural, and economic characteristics for Alaska Native men aged 15 to 34 years in 178 small Alaska communities from 1980 to 2007. Poisson regression equations explained variation in suicide rates as a function of endogenous alcohol control and community characteristics. Results. Suicide rates were higher in communities prohibiting alcohol importation under state law, but the effect was not significant after controlling for other community characteristics. More remote communities, those with fewer non-Natives, and those with evidence of cultural divides had higher suicide risks. Communities with higher incomes, more married couples, and traditional elders had lower risks. Conclusions. Alcohol control is ineffective in preventing suicide among Alaska Natives; suicide instead appears related to particular complex community characteristics that are either protective or increase risk. Communities have limited means to pursue economic and cultural development strategies that might offer more protection.

Suggested Citation

  • Berman, M., 2014. "Suicide among young alaska native men: Community risk factors and alcohol control," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(S3), pages 329-335.
  • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301503_5
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301503
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    Cited by:

    1. Kairi Kõlves & Kate M. Chitty & Rachmania Wardhani & Airi Värnik & Diego de Leo & Katrina Witt, 2020. "Impact of Alcohol Policies on Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-26, September.
    2. Fengyu Wu, 2021. "Modern Economic Growth, Culture, and Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Arctic Alaska," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 2621-2651, August.
    3. Berman, Matthew, 2018. "Resource rents, universal basic income, and poverty among Alaska’s Indigenous peoples," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 161-172.
    4. Jennifer L. Shaw & Julie A. Beans & Katherine Anne Comtois & Vanessa Y. Hiratsuka, 2019. "Lived Experiences of Suicide Risk and Resilience among Alaska Native and American Indian People," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-13, October.
    5. Hannah Sargeant & Rebecca Forsyth & Alexandra Pitman, 2018. "The Epidemiology of Suicide in Young Men in Greenland: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, November.
    6. Wexler, Lisa & Rataj, Suzanne & Ivanich, Jerreed & Plavin, Jya & Mullany, Anna & Moto, Roberta & Kirk, Tanya & Goldwater, Eva & Johnson, Rhonda & Dombrowski, Kirk, 2019. "Community mobilization for rural suicide prevention: Process, learning and behavioral outcomes from Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide (PC CARES) in Northwest Alaska," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 398-407.

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