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Ezra E. H. Griffith, MD; Carl C. Bell, MD

JAMA. 1989;262(16):2265-2269.

Abstract
The black community contends daily with the phenomena of suicide and homicide. However, it is the killing of black males that constitutes the heaviest burden for the group. Black suicide rates, on the other hand, continue to be lower than white suicide rates. Nevertheless, it is the black male group between the ages of 25 and 34 years that bears the brunt of both suicide and homicide. This article reviews the major theories advanced to explain the existence of these serious public health problems in the black community, suggests ways of attacking these problems, and also delineates significant areas for future research.

(JAMA. 1989;262:2265-2269)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Psychiatry and Afro-American Studies, Yale University School of Medicine, and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven (Dr Griffith); and the Community Mental Health Council Inc, and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois School of Medicine, Chicago (Dr Bell).

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park St, New Haven, CT 06519 (Dr Griffith).

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