Suicide third cause of death among black male youth

University group hopes to raise awareness, curb problem

There long has been a belief in the community that black men are too “macho” to take their own lives and that black woman are too strong and resilient to crack under pressure. But, a number of studies indicate that suicide is a growing problem in the black community. For example, according to information disseminated by the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), in 2006, suicide was the third leading cause of death among African American youth ages 10 through 19 after homicides and accidents. Citing statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide (NOPCAS), AAS pointed out that in 2006, 1,954 African Americans committed suicide in the U.S.—1,669 of them were male. Those deaths, some say, could and should have been prevented.  Read more...