Mental and Behavioral Health - Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

  • In 2019, suicide was the leading cause of death for Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders ages 15-24.
  • In 2019, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were three times less likely to receive mental health services or to receive prescription medications for mental health treatment as compared to non-Hispanic whites.
  • National behavioral health statistics for Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders is limited at this time.
  • Statistics listed below are the most recent national numbers currently available. Additional data will be added as reports are released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

MENTAL HEALTH STATUS

Serious psychological distress in the past year among adults 18 years of age and over, percentage, 2019
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander*Non-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
10.112.70.8

Source: SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 10.43B
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables


Adults age 18 and over with major depressive episode in the past year, 2019
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
3.58.50.4

Source: SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.39B
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables


Adults age 18 and over with any mental illness in the past year, 2019
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
16.622.20.7

SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.2B
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables

DEATH RATES

Age-adjusted death rates for suicide, by sex, race and Hispanic origin, 2018
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Male19.828.60.7
Female--8.0--
Total11.918.10.7

Source: CDC 2021. National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 69, No. 13. Table 10.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr69/nvsr69-13-508.pdf [PDF | 2MB]


Death rates for suicide, age, race and Hispanic origin, 2018: Men
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander MenNon-Hispanic White MenNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
15-24 years--27.3--
25-44 years38.135.81.1
45-64 years--39.5--
65 years and over--38.2--
All ages19.828.60.7

Source: CDC, 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 9.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2019/009-508.pdf [PDF | 10.22MB]


Death rates for suicide, age, race and Hispanic origin, 2018: Women
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Non-Hispanic White Ratio Ratio
15-24 years--6.7--
25-44 years--10.4--
45-64 years--13.0--
65 years and over--6.3--
All ages--8.0--

Source: CDC, 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 9.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2019/009-508.pdf [PDF | 10.22MB]

ADOLESCENTS

Age-adjusted death rates for suicide by race - adolescents. National data is not available at this time.


Suicidal ideation among students in grades 9-12, 2017 Percentage of students who seriously considered suicide
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
18.417.31.1

Source: CDC, 2019. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. [Accessed 04/21/2021]
https://nccd.cdc.gov/Youthonline/App/Default.aspx


Suicidal ideation among students in grades 9-12, 2019 Percentage of students who attempted suicide
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
--7.9--

Source: CDC, 2019. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. [Accessed 04/21/2021]
https://nccd.cdc.gov/Youthonline/App/Default.aspx

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

Percentage of adults age 18 and over who received mental health services in the past year, 2019
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
6.119.80.3

Source: SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.17B.
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables


Percentage of adults age 18 and over who received prescription medications for mental health treatment or counseling, 2018
Native Hawaiian/Pacific IslanderNon-Hispanic WhiteNative Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
5.216.60.3

Source: SAMHSA, 2020. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.21B.
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2019-nsduh-detailed-tables

*All data in the above surveys relate to non-Hispanic Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.