A Major Issue Among African American Adolescent Males Essay

Savings the lives of african american boys and men requires providing them role models whose behavior habits represent the traits necessary to lead morally successful and honest lives. Role models for young african american men are not hard to find. These three young african american leaders in education, business, and religion are committed to being role models for the community and expanding the image of black male relationship. They may not be household names but through their efforts they are transforming the lives of young african american men throughout the country. These men use their subject matter expertise to provide life lessons for young men in need of assistance. Their commitment to service is a critical asset in saving lives of young african american boys and men.

Suicide attempts are highest among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) females, followed by AI/AN males, and are lowest among African American and White adolescent males. Due to shame and the value placed on not looking weak in the African American community, some youth use less taboo ways of ending their lives. Wolfgang (1959) stated that, “victim-precipitated suicide is disproportionately represented among African American males.” For example, “In studies of officer-involved shootings, there appears to be evidence of suicidal intent in between 10% and 46% of cases” (Klinger, 2001). Therefore, due to cultural beliefs within the African American community, sometimes African Americans use victim-precipitated suicide as a more conventional way of ending their lives. The American Indian/Alaska Native group has also been

The rate of suicide, the act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally, increases each year. “More adolescents die each year from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined” (Preventing Teen Suicide, 2016, p.2). These facts show suicide is a serious problem among teens. Last year, teen suicide became the second leading cause of death in the United States confirming the significant increase in teen suicides.

According to Fowler, Crosby, Parks, and Ivey (2013), suicide and nonfatal suicidal ideations are significant public health concerns for adolescents and young adults. While the onset of suicidal behaviors is observed as young as six years of age, rates of death and nonfatal injury resulting from suicidal behavior are moderately low until 15 years of age (Fowler et al., 2013). According to Fowler et al (2013), the most current available statistics in the United States (U. S.) reported suicide as the third leading cause of death among youth aged 10-14 and 15-19 years, and it was the second leading cause of death among persons aged 20-24 years.

Substantial cost of suicide exists within American society. The National Institute of Medical Health (NIMH, 2017), asserts that in 2013 suicide cost the United States economy 50.8 billion dollars. However, the CDC (2015) estimated in 2010, the cost of 44 billion dollars with 1,164,499 dollars spent per suicide for individuals over the age of ten. This cost reflects medical treatment and loss in productivity. Unfortunately, CDC (2015) reports that most individuals who engage in suicidal behavior never go on to seek treatment for their mental illness.

In this source features statics of the teen suicide stating that teen suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in adolescence ages 11 to 15 it goes on to say that from 2003-2015 suicide has claimed the lives of over 5,500 youth. It was sound that there was a pattern of similarities between the youth that varied in race from Caucasian, African American, and Asian. There were relationship problems, mostly with their parents. Data also revealed that the individuals showed progression towards suicidal behavior. This source is full of factual information regarding suicide without bias. Therefore it was very useful in my research. I found the source on EBSCO by searching teen suicide in the search bar.

When a child reaches the age of ten and up, no matter what gender, their behavior changes. The transition from childhood to adulthood goes through puberty, a period in life where adolescents are inclined to do actions that are risky like smoking, having unprotected sex and drinking alcohol. However these actions vary depending on ethnicities. The objective of this essay will be to compare and contrast risky activities, parental control and peers pressure to two different ethnic groups from America, white and black teens.

The previous research shows how African American male students attending a research university are more involved interaction with faculty and are culturally competent. This great way for A.A. males to further their growth and interactions while continuing

There is at least 113 suicides each day or 1 every 13 minutes. Suicide among males is the seventh leading cause of death and the fourteenth leading cause in females. Most suicides are with a firearm and are carried out with a “ Saturday night special”. (Dilaura,Cynthia DiLaura) “More than 90 percent of suicide attempts with a gun are fatal. “ (Brady Campaign) There are a number of reasons why suicide occurs. Stress is the number one cause among our youth, bullies, peer pressure, depression, and abuse. 41,100 people committed suicide in the United States in 2013. Our young teens today does not take time to look deeper into there problem and to seek out a better solution. They are looking for a quick fix but not realizing once the trigger is pulled the result is final with no turning back. Most people who has attempted suicide is more likely to try a second attempt and most have an underlying mental illness. There is many warming that someone may be in a suicide crisis. We most learn how to see things through their eyes. No matter what one is facing in life or the difficult that lie ahead of them Nothing is worth taken your own

In 2012 and 2013, approximately thirteen people per 100,000 annually attempt to commit suicide, whether this leads to hospitalizations or completed suicides; this makes suicide one of the leading causes of death in North Carolina. Members of the community identified as having the highest suicide attempts and deaths are between the ages 10-24 and 45-64 (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 2015). Also, out of these attempts and deaths, white men compose approximately seventy percent of those numbers across America (Amer. Foundation for Suicide Preven. 2015; NC Dept. of Health and Human Services 2012, 2013); this rate disproportionately places white men at a higher risk within their gender and race for suicide risk. However, this is not to say that minorities or women are at a lower risk, but they do have a much lower suicide rate than white men. But, most suicide victims in North Carolina from 2009 to 2011 were male, non-Hispanic, and between the ages of 25 – 64 (2013).

Suicide has become a major issue amongst African-American adolescent males. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), suicide is the third leading cause of death for Black boys age 13 to 17 (CDC, 2014). That is above the number of deaths due to chronic diseases such as cancer, HIV and diabetes (CDC, WISQARS 2016.). Additionally, CDC reports for 2014 there were 68 African-American adolescent males that completed suicide and 1131 reported attempts for that year (CDC, WISQARS 2016). This is a significant number, although not all suicide attempts are reported (Joiner, 2005). Furthermore, suicide accounted for 10 percent of deaths of adolescents in 2014 reports (CDC, WISQARS 2016).

Program providers work extremely hard to offer services that they believe will enhance the lives and future prospects of African American male young adults. But how can they be sure that their program is having the intended impacts? How can funders and policy makers ensure that their investments in programs are paying off in substantially improved outcomes for these youth and their communities? In order to determine which strategies providers should implement to effectively serve the needs of African American young adults, I sought evidence based research recommendations for best practices. As I researched numerous studies, the literature for best practices for addressing the deficits of young African American males, I found recurring information that emerged into four main themes. To better understand the data found, I have organized the literature review into the following categories: Support, Access, Connection and Consistency. Lastly, I will discuss the role of philanthropy to the life outcomes of African American children and youth.

Suicide has become a major issue in Black adolescents. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Black boys age 13 to 17 (CDC, 2014). That surpasses the number of deaths due to chronic diseases such as cancer, HIV and diabetes (CDC, 2014.). Additionally, CDC reports show that in 2014 there were 68 adolescents that completed suicide and 1131 reported attempts (CDC, 2014). This is a significant number, although not all suicide attempts are reported (Joiner, 2015). Furthermore, suicide accounted for 10 percent of deaths of adolescents in 2014 (CDC, 2014).

Suicide is the third leading cause of deaths in adolescents in the United States. Teen suicide is also often referred to as a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Teens so often are suicidal and attempt suicide as a call for help from others. They have no intention in dying they are just trying to cry out for help from anyone that will listen. Many reasons cause teen to attempt suicide, varying from bullying to psychological disorders. In fact, psychological disorders accounts for about 90% of teens who attempt or commit suicide. Teenagers are also at higher risk of suicide when they are under

Teen suicide is a major problem in our society today. The adolescent suicide rate has tripled since 1960, while being the largest cause of death between the ages of 15 and 24. This is the one single age group that has seen an increase in suicides over the past thirty years. There are about 10,000 reported suicides reported annually. It is estimated however, that the true number of teen suicides is actually three to four times that number when unreported deaths are factored in.