Conceptualizations of Suicide and Suicide-Related Stigma in Latino Communities in the United States

Public Policy Relevance Statement Although the number of Latino individuals dying by suicide has increased during the last 15 years, stigma toward suicide in Latino communities remains. Respondent demographic characteristics such as age, generational status, and number of children were predictive of higher levels of stigma toward those experiencing suicidal ideation. There remains a need to decrease suicide-related sigma and to increase the overall health literacy within Latino communities. Suicide continues to be a significant public health concern impacting all cultural and ethnic groups in the United States. Although prior studies indicate that Latino individuals die by suicide at lower rates than their non-Hispanic White or Asian peers, recent data in this area indicate that suicide rates for Latino individuals are rising. Currently, little is known about how Latino individuals perceive those who are experiencing suicidal ideation and the factors that are associated with stigma toward people contemplating self-harm. To address this gap, a convenience sample of 248 adults in the United States identifying as Latino participated in an experimental vignette study investigating their perceptions of persons experiencing suicidal ideation. Results show that generation of immigration significantly predicted various domains of stigma toward individuals with suicidal ideation. Older participants and participants with more children were associated with higher levels of stigma. The gender or age of the person experiencing suicidal ideation did not impact the levels of stigma across domains. Results indicate a need to increase the overall health literacy in relation to suicide within Latino communities, particularly in relation to early identification of suicidal ideation. Implications for future research and practice with Latino communities are offered.