Native American Suicides: A National Crisis

THE G-MAN INTERVIEWS: PASTOR LEON 'BLUNT HORN' MATTHEWS

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Welcome.

Young American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN) have much higher rates of suicide than those of other racial and ethnic groups, according to findings of a new federal report.

The findings, published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Center for Health Statistics, found that young AIAN men were more than twice as likely to commit suicide as other gender or racial groups studied. Among AIAN young adults, there were an estimated 34.3 suicides per 100,000 population for males and 9.9 suicides for females.

The report noted that suicide rates for AIAN young adults are likely to be underestimated as a previous study found that deaths for the AIAN population were under-reported by 30%.

When researchers combined data from 2009 through 2013 for non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white young adults who committed suicide, firearms were the most common method used, followed by suffocation. For Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and AIAN young adults who committed suicide, suffocation was the most common method used, followed by the use of firearms.

Joining me to discuss the crisis in greater detail is Pastor Leon "Blunt Horn" Matthews, author of "Rez Ramblings: Living on the Pine Ridge as a 21st Century Injun". The book is a collection of the pastor’s newspaper columns and personal blogs spanning the past several years and provides an in-depth look at the stark realities of poverty, oppression, racism, and cultural struggles of Native Americans.

Pastor Matthews has appeared on the show on two occasions to reveal how alcoholism, suicides, and unemployment have decimated the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

The interview was conducted on October 8, 2015.

Information pertaining to this episode is available through the following links:

CDC Report Details Suicide Rate in Native Americans
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatr...

Native Americans Left Behind in the Economic Recovery
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2...

Tribes Battle High Teen Suicide Rates on Native American Reservations
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Upda...

Native American Youth Suicide Rates Are At Crisis Levels
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/n...