Suicide, adolescents and Puerto Rico
McQuillan, C.T.; Rodríguez, J.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 92(1-3): 22-29
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 10846285 Document Number: 7697
Suicide is a multifactoral phenomena. This article reviews the recent literature and attempts to identify those factors which have particular relevance for Puerto Rican adolescents. Risk factors that correlate highly with the Puerto Rican experience include homosexuality, due to the hostility that the person may experience, depression, gender, prevalence of psychiatric disorders, lack of social integration and social skills, military experience, cultural and religious factors, alcoholism, substance abuse and unemployment/poverty. The literature reviewed indicates that the Puerto Rican adolescent male is in a high risk group for suicide and that the risk increases with age, sexual preference, dysfunction in the family and substance abuse.
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