The association between suicide attempts and ethnic identity and discrimination among Indigenous Sami adolescents in Arctic Norway

For young Indigenous people, suicide is among the leading causes of death. High rates in Arctic areas indicate serious health and societal concerns. More knowledge is needed about the suicidal process, as suicide attempts predict later death by suicide. This study aimed to look for associations between suicide attempts and ethnic identity factors and culturally specific factors in Sami adolescents, including possible gender-specific patterns of predictors. In the total group of 442 Sami (15-16-year-olds) in The Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Health Study (NAAHS), multivariable logistic regression analyses showed associations between suicide attempts and the female gender, living in a stepparent family, and a weak family economy. Sami females who reported weak identity exploration had eight times higher odds of reporting suicide attempts. Sami males who had experienced discrimination or showed a strong identity commitment had between six- and eight-times higher odds of reporting suicide attempts. Sami females were less affected by experiencing ethnic discrimination compared to males, as Sami females were more sensitive to family patterns. Public health programmes and prevention strategies targeting adolescent suicidal behaviour should consider gender differences in the association between ethnic identity, cultural and socio-demographic factors, and suicide attempts.