Does ethnicity matter in risk and protective factors for suicide attempts and suicide lethality?

This study explored ethnic differences in risk and protective factors for suicide attempts, for the major ethnic groups in Singapore, and ethnic differences in prediction of lethality. Three years of medical records related to suicide attempters (N = 666) who were admitted to the emergency department of a large teaching hospital in Singapore were subjected to analysis. Of the sample, 69.2% were female, 30.8% male; 63.8% Chinese, 15.8% Indian, and 15.0% Malay. Indians were over-represented in this sample, as compared with the ethnic distribution in the general population. Ages ranged from 10 to 85 years old (M = 29.7, SD = 16.1). Ethnic differences were found in risk and protective factors, and perceived lethality of suicide attempts. All available variables were subjected to regression analyses for Chinese, Indian and Malay attempters to arrive at parsimonious models for prediction of perceived lethality. The findings were discussed in regards to implications in assessment of suicide risk and primary prevention for the multiethnic society in Singapore.