New research reveals alarming rise in suicide rates among young Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

While suicide rates have declined for white populations over the past two decades, they have increased in the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Yet, few studies examine trends in suicide mortality across genders among AAPI young adults ages 18 to 25.

A new study from researchers at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine finds that over the 21-year period (1999-2020), there has been a notable increase in the prevalence of suicide among AAPI young adults of both sexes, with a sharp increase among AAPI young adults beginning in 2008.

The findings appear online in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry.

“Our study highlights a growing mental health crisis within this community that often goes unnoticed. More importantly, there is a serious, glaring lack of public health attention and federal funding for this problem,” explains corresponding author Seungbin Oh, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, assistant professor of psychiatry at the school.

Using data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Multiple Cause-of-Death files from 1999 to 2020, researchers analyzed trends in suicide among Asian American young adults aged 18 to 25.

They found that over the 21-year study period, a total of 4,082 AAPI young adults died by suicide, for an annual average suicide rate of 3.47 per 100,000 people. Of those deaths, the majority (74.9%) were male, while 25.1% were female.

From 1999 to 2020, the suicide rate increased for both AAPI men and women. Men specifically reported a 60.7% increase in their suicide rate, from 10.78% to 17.32%. AAPI women reported a 64% increase, from 4.70% to 7.71%. The peak suicide rate for men in 2019 was 19.69%, while for women in 2020 it was 7.71%.

According to the researchers, these suicide attempts are often not accompanied by visible warning signs, suggesting that AAPI may silently tolerate their suicidal thoughts before deciding to carry them out.

“Given the phenomenon of ‘hidden ideation,’ where AAPI individuals may not show visible warning signs prior to attempting suicide, there is a significant need for culturally tailored early detection and prevention strategies,” Oh said.

The researchers hope that this study will ultimately lead to the development of more effective, culturally sensitive mental health interventions that can address the unique challenges faced by AAPI young adults.

“By understanding and reducing the increasing trends of suicidality, we aim to improve the overall quality of life and mental well-being of all individuals in this community,” Oh adds.