Depressed mood suicidal behaviors and health risk behaviors among youths in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: the 2017 CNMI Youth Risk Behavior Survey

摘要

Alongside this major economic transformation, fundamental changes in interpersonal relationships were simultaneously occurring, which led to intergenerational conflict and isolation among adolescents in this region [ ]. More recently, a study conducted in Guam suggests that unemployment is particularly high among male adolescents in the US territories of the Pacific because they often lack the skills required for private-sector employment and other high-level jobs. This results in loss of social connections related to employment, resulting in further isolation from society [ ]. Although the high suicide rates in the Micronesian region, including the US territories of the Pacific, have drawn attention, most related research has focused primarily on male adolescents and suicide deaths. Previous research has explored suicidal behaviors among US high school adolescents through an analysis of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) [ , ], a school-based survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through this survey, the Centers monitor six categories of health-related behaviors—behaviors that lead to unintentional injuries and violence, risky sexual behaviors, alcohol and other drug use, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and inadequate physical activity, all of which contribute to mortality and morbidity among adolescents. However, all US territories, including the CNMI, were excluded from the national YRBS data during the sample selection process [ ]. Due to the distinct history and culture of the indigenous population in the US territories of the Pacific [ ], the results of the CNMI YRBS might differ from the US national YRBS results.