‘Holding onto those traditions and celebrating cultural traditions and being part of a community can actually help reduce suicide’
Now, here’s a surprise. The more broadband Internet access a community has, the lower the suicide rates are. The same goes for health insurance and income. The better health insurance coverage and the higher the incomes, the lower the rate of suicide.
Those factors weigh more heavily among American Indians and Alaska Natives than the general population. That information is in a report the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention released Tuesay, on National Suicide Prevention Day and for Suicide Prevention Month.
Experts say Native Americans serve in the military at the highest per-capita rate of any ethnic group, and when returning from combat, veterans may experience social isolation that leads to anxiety, PTSD, and unfortunately, suicide.
In a prepared statement, the CDC said the latest data, from 2022, shows suicide rates were:
• 26 percent lower in counties with the highest health insurance coverage