Suicide was the leading cause of death for Asians, ages 15 to 24, in 2022.1
Asian American male students in grades 9–12 were 20% less likely to consider attempting suicide than non-Hispanic white male students in 2021.2
In 2023, Asian American adults were 50% less likely to have received mental health treatment than non-Hispanic white adults.3
Southeast Asian refugees are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with trauma experienced before and after immigration to the United States. One study found that 70% of Southeast Asian refugees receiving mental health care were diagnosed with PTSD.4
In 2020, the overall suicide rate for Asian Americans was less than half that of non-Hispanic whites.5
Mental Health Status
Serious psychological distress in the past year among persons age 18 years and over, percentage, 2023
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
10.2
14.2
0.7
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2024. Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 6.86B. For the definition of “serious psychological distress,” see Appendix A.
Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, or that everything is an effort, all or most of the time, among persons age 18 and over, percentage, 2018
Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Sadness
1.5
2.7
0.6
Hopelessness
1.2
2.2
0.5
Worthlessness
1.7
2.3
0.7
Everything is an effort
6.6
6.5
1.0
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-7c.
Serious psychological distress among persons age 18 and over, percentage, 2018
Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
1.9
3.7
0.5
Source: CDC, 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-8c. For the definition of “serious psychological distress,” see footnote 1 to Table A-8c.
Major depressive episode in the past year among persons age 18 and over, percentage, 2023
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
4.8
9.1
0.5
Source: SAMHSA, 2024. Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 6.39B. For the definition of “major depressive episode,” see Appendix A.
Any mental illness in the past year among persons age 18 and over, percentage, 2023
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
10.2
14.2
0.7
Source: SAMHSA, 2024. Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 6.7B. For the definition of “any mental illness,” see Appendix A.
Serious psychological distress among adults age 18 and over, age-adjusted percentage, 2004–2006
Population
Serious Distress
Ratio / All Asian Population
Ratio / Whites
White
2.9
-
-
All Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
1.9
-
0.7
Chinese
1.6
0.8
0.6
Filipino
2.5
1.3
0.9
Asian Indian
1.4
0.7
0.5
Japanese
1.1
0.6
0.4
Vietnamese
2.5
1.3
0.9
Korean
1.3
0.7
0.4
Other Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
2.6
1.4
0.9
Source: CDC, 2008. Health Characteristics of the Asian Adult Population: United States, 2004-2006. Table 7. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad394.pdf For the definition of “serious psychological distress,” see the entry under “Definition of terms” in the Technical Notes.
Death Rates
Age-adjusted death rates for suicide by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 2020
Suicide rates by age, race, and Hispanic origin, 2019: Males
Non-Hispanic Asian Males
Non-Hispanic White Males
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
15–24 years
16.3
25.6
0.6
25–44 years
11.9
36.0
0.3
45–64 years
11.9
38.3
0.3
65 years and over
12.2
37.6
0.3
All ages, age adjusted
10.1
28.0
0.4
Source: CDC, 2023. Health, United States, 2020–2021. Table SuicMort.
Suicide rates by age, race, and Hispanic origin, 2019: Females
Non-Hispanic Asian Females
Non-Hispanic White Females
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
15–24 years
4.9
6.1
0.8
25–44 years
4.0
9.8
0.4
45–64 years
4.9
12.6
0.4
65 years and over
5.1
6.2
0.8
All ages, age adjusted
3.7
7.7
0.5
Source: CDC, 2023. Health, United States, 2020–2021. Table SuicMort.
Adolescents
Death rates for suicide: ages 15–19, 2021
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Male
12.4
17.7
0.7
Female
5.7
5.0
1.1
Both Sexes
9.0
11.6
0.8
Source: CDC. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). National Violent Death Reporting System. Violent Deaths Report.
Students in grades 9–12 who seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months, percentage, 2021
Adults age 18 and over who received mental health treatment in the past year, percentage, 2023
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
13.5
27.0
0.5
Source: SAMHSA, 2024. Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 6.21B.
Adults age 18 and over who received mental health treatment through prescription medication, percentage, 2023
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
6.5
20.6
0.3
Source: SAMHSA, 2024. Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 6.25B.
Adults age 18 and over with a major depressive episode in the past year who received treatment for depression, percentage, 2019
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
51.7
70.2
0.7
Source: SAMHSA, 2022. Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Detailed Tables. Table 8.39B. For the definition of “major depressive episode,” see Appendix A.
1 CDC. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). Leading Causes of Death. (back)
