Trends in Suicidality and Bullying among New York City Adolescents across Race and Sexual Identity: 2009-2019.

Despite evidence showing rising suicidality among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and Black adolescents, separately, there is scant research on suicide risk trajectories among youth groups across both racial and sexual identities. Thus, we examined trajectories of self-reported suicidal ideation and attempt and their associations with bullying among New York City-based adolescents. We analyzed 2009-2019 NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. We ran weighted descriptive and logistic regression analyses to test for trends in dichotomous suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, bullying at school, and e-bullying variables among students across both race/ethnicity and sexual identity. We assessed associations between suicidality trends and bullying with logistic regressions. Models controlled for age and sex. Suicidal ideation and attempt were 2 and 5 times more likely among LGB than heterosexual participants, respectively. Bullying at school and e-bullying were 2 times more likely among LGB than heterosexual participants. Black LGB participants were the only LGB group for which both suicidal ideation (AOR = 1.04, SE = .003, p < .001) and attempt (AOR = 1.04, SE = .004, p < .001) increased over time. Both increased at accelerating rates. Conversely, White LGB participants were the only LGB group for which both suicidal ideation (AOR = 0.98, SE = .006, p < .001) and attempt (AOR = 0.92, SE = .008, p < .001) decreased over time. These changes occurred in parallel with significant bullying increases for Black and Latina/o/x LGB adolescents and significant bullying decreases for White LGB adolescents. Bullying was positively associated with suicidal ideation and attempt for all adolescents. Findings suggest resources aimed at curbing rising adolescent suicide should be focused on Black LGB youth.

Association between racial discrimination and health-related quality of life and the impact of social relationships.

PURPOSE: Interpersonal racial discrimination is associated with poor health. Social relationships may moderate the impact of discrimination and represent modifiable behaviors that can be targeted by public health interventions. We described citywide associations between self-reported racial discrimination and health-related quality of life among the overall New York City (NYC) adult residential population and by four main race/ethnicity groups and explored whether social relationships moderated health effects of discrimination. METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from 2335 adults weighted to be representative of the NYC population. We measured exposures to lifetime interpersonal racial discrimination in nine domains using a modified version of the Experiences of Discrimination scale. We performed unadjusted and adjusted regression analyses on four self-rated health-related quality of life outcomes including general health, physical health, mental health, and limitations from physical or mental health. RESULTS: Overall, 47% [95% CI 44.5, 50.3] of respondents reported having experienced racial discrimination in at least one domain. In the overall population, significant associations with racial discrimination were noted in adjusted models for poor physical health, poor mental health, and limitations by poor physical and mental health. Among those exposed to racial discrimination, the risk of experiencing poor mental health was lower among those who had contact with family or friends outside their household at least once a week, compared with those who had less frequent social contact. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that social relationships may moderate the impact of racial discrimination on mental health and should be integrated into health promotion efforts.

Defining Ethnic Enclave and Its Associations with Self-Reported Health Outcomes Among Asian American Adults in New York City.

Evidence on ethnic enclave-health associations for Asian Americans is limited due to an inconsistent definition of ethnic enclave. The authors aimed to establish a robust criterion for defining Asian enclaves in New York City (NYC) and assessed the association between enclave residence and health outcomes among Asian American adults. Data came from 2009-2012 NYC Community Health Surveys and 2008-2012 American Community Survey. Asian enclave was defined as an area with high dissimilarity and isolation scores as well as high concentration of Asians. Five of 55 NYC community districts were identified as Asian enclaves. After controlling for confounding, enclave residence was associated with positive perception of general health with borderline significance (prevalence ratio = 1.06, 95 % CI 0.98, 1.15), but not with current smoking, hypertension, and diabetes. Ethnic enclave residence in urban areas may not produce a substantial impact on chronic health outcomes for Asian Americans beyond individual-level factors.

Temporal and Spatial Patterns in Utilization of Mental Health Services During and After Hurricane Sandy: Emergency Department and Inpatient Hospitalizations in New York City.

OBJECTIVE: Hurricane Sandy made landfall on October 29, 2012, causing a coastal storm surge and extensive flooding, which led to the closure of several health care facilities in New York City (NYC) and prolonged interruptions in service delivery. The impact on mental health-related emergency department (ED) and inpatient hospital service utilization was studied. METHODS: Data came from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. We obtained mental health-related data among NYC residents from 2010 to 2013. Patients were grouped into 5 geographic areas, including service areas of closed hospitals, the Hurricane Sandy evaluation zone, and all of NYC. The Farrington method was used to detect increases in ED visits and hospitalizations for the post-Sandy period. RESULTS: Open hospitals experienced a substantial increase in psychiatric ED visits from patients living in the service areas of closed hospitals. This surge in psychiatric ED visits persisted for 4 to 6 months after Hurricane Sandy. However, the increase in psychiatric hospitalizations was observed for 1 to 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Several NYC hospitals received a substantially larger number of ED patients from service areas of closed hospitals after Hurricane Sandy, unlike other hospitals that experienced a decrease. Because of potential surges in the number of psychiatric ED visits, resource allocation to hospitals should be considered. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:512-517).