A new report by the Centers for Disease Control shows an alarming number of Native American youth consider suicide and are more likely than any other group to experience sexual violence.
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011–2021 provides data on U.S. high school students, including Native American youth. The data focuses on their health and well-being.
The CDC continues to see areas of youth health and well-being improve overall. Students have decreased risky sexual behavior, such as ever or current sexual activity, and substance use. In the latest survey, CDC also saw a decrease in the proportion of youth who were bullied at school.
Unfortunately, the CDC says almost all other indicators of health and well-being have worsened significantly. For example, fewer students follow protective sexual behaviors, like condom use and testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Data also show increased experiences of violence, mental health, and suicidal thoughts.
According to the latest CDC survey, 27 percent of Native American youth “seriously considered suicide, made a suicide plan, and attempted suicide” in the last year. This is about one in four youth and represents a proportion higher than any other racial and ethnic group.
Native American youth are also more likely than any other group to experience sexual violence.
Several experiences of violence are also increasing, especially for certain groups of youth. The data show increases in the proportion of youth who did not go to school because of safety concerns. More female students experience sexual violence and being forced to have sex. And, more male students are experiencing electronic bullying.
American Indian or Alaska Native students were more likely than students from nearly every other racial and ethnic group to have ever been forced to have sex. In 2021, 18 percent of American Indian or Alaska Native high school students had ever been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to. This compares to 8 percent of all students.
“Young people in the U.S. are collectively experiencing a level of distress that calls on us to act,” according to the CDC report.
Read the CDC study at the Centers for Disease Control website.
