A Qualitative Exploration on Risk and Protective Factors of Substance Use Among Black Adolescent Girls.

OBJECTIVE: While Black adolescent girls use drugs at much lower rates than White and Hispanic girls, Black adolescent girls often have worse health outcomes due to drug use. This study seeks to highlight the voices of Black adolescent girls in order to understand their unique risk factors for substance use and misuse. METHODS: Utilizing the intersectionality and ecological systems theoretical frameworks, the research team conducted twelve focus groups among a sample of Black adolescent girls (N = 62) between the ages of 13-18 (M = 15.6 years SD = 1.50). RESULTS: Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the participant narratives. Four main themes arose: 1) stereotypes of Black adolescent girls; 2) the role of the physical and social environment (feeling unsafe in neighborhoods where they reside); 3) using drugs as a coping mechanism; 4) input on prevention programming for girls with a sub-theme involving family as a protective factor. DISCUSSION: Study findings deepen our qualitative understanding of risk and protective factors for substance use among Black adolescent girls. These findings provide insight on girls' lived experiences for researchers and intervention development to create and implement substance abuse prevention programs that are race- and gender-specific for Black adolescent girls.

Gun Violence Exposure and Suicide Among Black Adults.

Importance: Black individuals are disproportionately exposed to gun violence in the US. Suicide rates among Black US individuals have increased in recent years. Objective: To evaluate whether gun violence exposures (GVEs) are associated with suicidal ideation and behaviors among Black adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used survey data collected from a nationally representative sample of self-identified Black or African American (hereafter, Black) adults in the US from April 12, 2023, through May 4, 2023. Exposures: Ever being shot, being threatened with a gun, knowing someone who has been shot, and witnessing or hearing about a shooting. Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcome variables were derived from the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview, including suicidal ideation, suicide attempt preparation, and suicide attempt. A subsample of those exhibiting suicidal ideation was used to assess for suicidal behaviors. Results: The study sample included 3015 Black adults (1646 [55%] female; mean [SD] age, 46.34 [0.44] years [range, 18-94 years]). Most respondents were exposed to at least 1 type of gun violence (1693 [56%]), and 300 (12%) were exposed to at least 3 types of gun violence. Being threatened with a gun (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% CI, 1.01-2.05) or knowing someone who has been shot (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.05-1.97) was associated with reporting lifetime suicidal ideation. Being shot was associated with reporting ever planning a suicide (OR, 3.73; 95% CI, 1.10-12.64). Being threatened (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 2.41-5.09) or knowing someone who has been shot (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.42-5.74) was associated with reporting lifetime suicide attempts. Cumulative GVE was associated with reporting lifetime suicidal ideation (1 type: OR, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.19-2.39]; 2 types: OR, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.17-2.44]; ≥3 types: OR, 2.27 [95% CI, 1.48-3.48]), suicide attempt preparation (≥3 types; OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 2.37-5.63), and attempting suicide (2 types: OR, 4.78 [95% CI, 1.80-12.71]; ≥3 types: OR, 4.01 [95% CI, 1.41-11.44]). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, GVE among Black adults in the US was significantly associated with lifetime suicidal ideation and behavior. Public health efforts to substantially reduce interpersonal gun violence may yield additional benefits by decreasing suicide among Black individuals in the US.

Relationship between suicide ideation and attempts, bully victimization, dating violence, and depressive symptoms among Black and Hispanic youth.

BACKGROUND: Suicide rates among Black and Hispanic youth have been increasing over the past decade in the United States. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for suicide ideation and attempt among Black and Hispanic youth in the United States using intersectionality theory and minority stress theory as a framework. METHODS: Data from the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS; 2015-2019) were analyzed and delimited to include only Black and Hispanic youth. RESULTS: About 37% of the subsample identified as Black and 63% of the subsample identified as Hispanic; mean age was 16 years (SE = 0.02). Weighted multivariate logistic regressions were used to explore associations between suicide ideation and attempt, depressive symptoms, bullying, dating violence, and being threatened with a weapon. Black and Hispanic youth who had depressive symptoms, experienced bullying, dating violence, or threatened with a weapon all had increased odds of having suicide ideation and suicide attempt. Hispanic youth had the higher odds of suicide ideation and attempt than Black youth. Girls in the study also had elevated odds of suicide ideation. CONCLUSION: This study adds to the literature on risk factors of suicide in Black and Hispanic youth and bringing to awareness the gender disparities in suicide ideation and attempt among youth.