Suicide risk and prevention in Guam: Clinical and research considerations and a call to action.

The suicide rate in Guam, a United States (U.S.) territory, is markedly higher than the suicide rate within the U.S. There are also important differences in who is most at risk for suicide in Guam, relative to within the general U.S. Understanding these distinctions is important for implementing effective suicide prevention initiatives in this region. In the current article, we discuss considerations for preventing suicide in Guam, including distinctions in suicide risk, relative to within the general U.S. For example, suicide rates in Guam are highest for those who are Pacific Islander, young, or male. Further, suicide in Guam more commonly involves hanging and less commonly involves firearms, a pattern that differs from suicide methods used within the general U.S. Additional considerations include the large military and Veteran population in Guam, as well as cultural and religious beliefs regarding suicide. Finally, given the geographic isolation of Guam, access to healthcare is likely an important facet of suicide risk. Considering these characteristics, it is imperative to develop and implement culturally-sensitive suicide prevention interventions for individuals residing in this region. We conclude by discussing future research avenues to address critical knowledge gaps to prevent suicide in Guam.

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Published by Elsevier B.V.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Conflict of Interest All authors were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the initial writing of this manuscript. Authors have recently received grant funding from the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (all authors), VA Health Services Research and Development (Monteith, Holliday, Brenner, Hoffmire), VA Rehabilitation Research and Development (Brenner), VA Office of Rural Health (Brenner), VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans (Monteith, Holliday, Brenner, Hoffmire), VA National Center for Patient Safety (Monteith, Hoffmire), VA Office of Women’s Health (Monteith), the Department of Defense (Monteith, Holliday, Brenner, Hoffmire), the National Institutes of Health (Holliday, Brenner, Hoffmire), the American Psychological Association (Monteith, Holliday), and the State of Colorado (Brenner, Hoffmire). Dr. Brenner also reports editorial renumeration from Wolters Kluwer, and royalties from the American Psychological Association and Oxford University Press. In addition, she consults with sports leagues via her university affiliation.