Suicide rates in aboriginal communities in Labrador, Canada

N.J. Pollock, S. Mulay, J. Valcour and M. Jong

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 7, 1309-1315

Abstract: Objectives. To compare suicide rates in Aboriginal communities in Labrador, including Innu, Inuit, and Southern Inuit, with the general population of Newfoundland, Canada. Methods. In partnership with Aboriginal governments, we conducted a population-based study to understand patterns of suicide mortality in Labrador. We analyzed suicide mortality data from 1993 to 2009 from the Vital Statistics Death Database. We combined this with community-based methods, including consultations with Elders, youths, mental health and community workers, primary care clinicians, and government decision-makers. Results. The suicide rate was higher in Labrador than in Newfoundland. This trend persisted across all age groups; however, the disparity was greatest among those aged 10 to 19 years. Males accounted for the majority of deaths, although suicide rates were elevated among females in the Inuit communities. When comparing Aboriginal sub-regions, the Innu and Inuit communities had the highest age-standardized mortality rates of, respectively, 165.6 and 114.0 suicides per 100 000 person-years. Conclusions. Suicide disproportionately affects Innu and Inuit populations in Labrador. Suicide rates were high among male youths and Inuit females.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; age distribution; American Indian; child; demography; epidemiology; ethnology; female; human; Inuit; male; middle aged; Newfoundland and Labrador; politics; retrospective study; sex ratio; socioeconomics; statistics and numerical data; suicide; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Child; Female; Humans; Indians, North American; Inuits; Male; Middle Aged; Newfoundland and Labrador; Politics; Residence Characteristics; Retrospective Studies; Sex Distribution; Socioeconomic Factors; Suicide; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303151

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303151_6

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303151

Access Statistics for this article

American Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Alfredo Morabia

More articles in American Journal of Public Health from American Public Health Association
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Christopher F Baum ().