Module 2 > Equity
Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their full health potential and that no one is disadvantaged, excluded, or dismissed from achieving this potential. Health equity emphasizes shifts in power and systems and requires the removal of systemic obstacles to health for groups that are more likely to experience health inequities, such as communities of color.
Certain groups experience unequal rates of self-harm and suicide. A public health approach incorporates strategies intentionally focused on improving outcomes for these at-risk groups. The CDC’s website, lists populations with national rates of suicide that are higher than average, including American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic White populations, veterans, people who live in rural areas, and workers in certain industries and occupations like construction and mining. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth have a higher rate of suicidal ideation and behavior compared to their peers who identify as straight, and studies have found that transgender adolescents are at high risk of suicidal ideation and behavior compared to cisgender adolescents. For many of these groups, inequities are produced by historic and current-day policies, laws, practices, and procedures that systematically determine the factors, including community conditions, that undermine wellbeing.
While it is helpful to be aware of national-level suicide data, it is important to use data specific to your jurisdiction to identify populations with suicide rates and attempts higher than the general population. For example, while U.S. suicides declined overall in 2020, several state and local studies show a rise in suicides among people of color when compared with previous years. Module 3 highlights increasing trends in suicide among certain populations nationally, and provides guidance on how to access local suicide data.
Watch this 5-minute video of CDC’s Dr. Alex Crosby talking about the importance of using data to tailor suicide prevention efforts.
During a catastrophic event, prevention efforts should focus on populations that were disproportionately impacted by suicide before the event as well as additional groups that may be at higher risk because of how the catastrophic event is affecting their lives. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, findings from a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report in August 2020 found that suicidal ideation was elevated among essential workers and unpaid adult caregivers—two groups that may not have been noted as high-risk prior to the pandemic.
Reflection questions
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In your community, who was disproportionately impacted by suicide before the most recent catastrophic event (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic)?
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Who is at increased risk of suicide in your community during or following the most recent catastrophic event (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic)?
Next lessons in this section
Often when organizations discuss equity, they focus on whether all populations—especially the populations most significantly impacted by a health problem—are receiving equitable attention in terms of programs and services. But programs and services alone will not produce equitable health outcomes. Equity in community conditions and in policies are also necessary.
Continue to the next lessons of the "Equity" section of Module 2 to dig deeper into considerations for suicide prevention:
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