asian american teenage girls have the highest rate of depression

According to a new report released by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Asian American teenage girls have the highest rate of depressive symptoms of any racial, ethnic or gender group: Asian American Teenage Girls Have Highest Rates of Depression; NAMI Releases Report.

The report is based on a "listening session" with mental health experts from different Asian American and Pacific Islander communities held in Los Angeles in November 2010. Here are some report highlight statistics:

* Asian American girls have the highest rates of depressive symptoms of any racial/ethnic or gender group;

* Young Asian American women ages 15 to 24 die from suicide at a higher rate than other racial/ethnic groups;

* Suicide is the fifth leading cause of death among Asian Americans overall, compared to the ninth leading cause of death for white Americans;

* Older Asian American women have the highest suicide rate of all women over 65; and

* Among Southeast Asians, 71 percent meet criteria for major affective disorders such as depression—with 81 percent among Cambodians and 85 percent among Hmong.

Key issues in the report include barriers to mental health services and negative perceptions of mental health problems particular AAPI communities, as well as recommendations to address these issues. You can download and read the full report at the NAMI website here.