The suicide rate among Hispanic people in the United States has risen significantly over the past decade, causing concern among community leaders and mental health experts. From 2011 to 2021, the suicide rate for Hispanics increased from 5.7 to 7.9 per 100,000 people, according to KFF data.
The trend is particularly alarming among Hispanic children. A study published in the Journal of Community Health found that the suicide rate for Hispanic children 12 and younger increased by 92.3% from 2010 to 2019. Mental health professionals report seeing suicidal thoughts in children as young as 8.
Experts attribute the rise to various factors, including immigration stress, language barriers, and cultural taboos surrounding mental health. America Gruner, founder of the Coalición de Líderes Latinos in Georgia, started a support group after three young Latinos died by suicide in a two-week period. “We couldn’t wait for research,” Gruner said. “We wanted to do something about it.”
Access to culturally sensitive mental health care remains a significant challenge. Alejandra Vargas, a bilingual program coordinator at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services in Los Angeles, emphasized the importance of language-appropriate care: “Being able to talk about painful things in a language that you are comfortable with is a really specific type of healing.”
Community leaders and mental health professionals are calling for increased funding for culturally appropriate mental health services and suicide prevention programs. The recent introduction of Spanish-language services for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a step in the right direction, but experts stress that more work is needed to address this growing crisis among Hispanic communities.
See “Rising Suicide Rate Among Hispanics Worries Community Leaders” (January 24, 2024)
