Study shows suicide rates in Asian American and Pacific Islander youth rise

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's an alarming trend to see.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that suicide in Asian American and Pacific Islander youth is up.

Numbers peaked in 2019 for males, while females saw their highest numbers in 2020.

The study looked at data from 1999 to 2021, with youth ages 10 to 19 years old across all ethnicities.

"There has been some significant sort of upswing in the past 10 years with the AAPI youth population," said Dr. Brian Keum, a professor at Boston College and one of the authors of the study. "This is really important for us to note because out there in the public this has been largely going under the radar."

Dr. Keum explains that silent suffering, lack of talks around mental health and even social media are just some of the reasons that drive up the numbers.

"This could lead to things like depression, loneliness," said Dr. Keum. "A lot of internalizing shame prevents these youth from actually talking about what's going on with them."

Dr. Keum adds it can also be hard for the Asian American and Pacific Islander youth to reach out for help.

"There is this expectation that you have to excel or succeed," said Dr. Keum. "Any indication or a sign of mental health issues might be seen as a negative."

But there are ways to help those who are silently suffering and build resilience. Action News spoke with Dr. Jenny Banh, a professor with the Asian American Studies Department at Fresno State.

"I think, delve deeper into your Asian American identity, feel pride in your Asian arts," said Dr. Bahn. "Watch that K-pop, you know. Listen to Black Pink."

Dr. Bahn adds that finding solidarity in an ethnic group's culture can ease some of the pain.

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