Background: Suicide is among the leading causes of death in North America for various age groups. Given the far-reaching impacts of suicide on families and societies, there is growing research on this phenomenon; yet, most focus primarily on mainstream populations (i.e. Caucasian, native-born Americans or Canadians) and/or aggregated population data. As a result cultural considerations within multi-cultural milieus and increasing globalization can be overlooked.
Aims: This scoping review reports findings drawn from 11 studies examining suicide among East Asian (EA) population in North America.
Method: A web-based literature search was performed to identify original research articles published from January 2002 to December 2011, addressing suicide among EAs living in North America, specifically in the USA and Canada.
Results: Four prominent thematic findings were identified in the literature related to: (1) rates of suicidal ideation and behavior among EAs in North America; (2) acculturation; (3) family support and conflict; and (4) other cultural and ethnic considerations.
Conclusions: Further research, particularly qualitative and/or mixed methods, is needed to provide a more complete understanding of suicide among this under-studied population. This article concludes with a list of recommendations for future research based on the review.