Correlates of Suicidality: Investigation of a Representative Sample of Manitoba First Nations Adolescents

Abstract

The present study examined community/tribe, peer/family, and individual correlates of suicidal behaviour in a representative on-reserve sample of First Nations Bivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between a range of factors and lifetime suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and any suicidality. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified those correlates most strongly related to any suicidality. Findings showed that several correlates were found to be associated with an increased likelihood of suicidal behaviour, including being female, depressed mood, abuse/fear of abuse, a hospital stay, and substance use. Results of this study will likely be of importance in informing First Nations and government policy related to the implementation of suicide prevention strategies in Manitoban First Nations communities.Correlates of Suicidality iii Acknowledgements

Individual- and community-level determinants of Inuit youth mental wellness

“…22,23 Similar findings in other Indigenous communities in Canada include an association between individual perception of community caring and lower suicidality among adolescents in Manitoba First Nations communities. 24 Our study expands these results to a positive measure of mental wellness, and finds that these associations are robust to adjustment for individual characteristics. Many mechanisms have been proposed to link Indigenous community social and economic capital to individual mental wellness: Inuit communities with greater social cohesion may provide individuals with greater social support, a sense of belonging, and positive role models.…”

Emergency Health Care Use among Sociodemographic Groups of Children Presenting to Emergency Departments for Self-Harm in Alberta

“…Self-harm in First Nations children has recently been associated with substance use, abuse or fear of abuse, and depressive symptoms. 28 For First Nations children, the risk factors associated with self-harm should also be viewed and treated in the context of the broader sociodemographic factors that underline their health status.…”

“…Decision regarding referral for further treatment should be based on the ED assessment and need not be determined solely on the basis of the child having self-harmed. 20 Protective factors have not been explored as extensively amongst First Nations peoples, but perceived community caring has been identified as protective against suicide 28 and should be taken into account during discharge planning. Given the role community plays for First Nations children, it is possible that children in our study sought post-crisis care outside of physician visits, such as through community-based resources, which would not be captured in our data set.…”

A scoping review

“…One of the main findings in the report 'Sharing Hope', a comprehensive report that documented and evaluated best practices in mental wellness-related interventions in circumpolar regions, was the fact that "suicide prevention requires culturally-grounded solutions that are community-based and community-driven" (SDWG, 2015). When looking at the regional differences of suicide rates over time, as done in Greenland, it becomes clear that strategies for prevention need to consider the different temporal patterns, disparities in living conditions and local context (Bjerregaard & Larsen, 2015 Broad community-based approaches for prevention can entail clinicians and frontline workers screening for risk factors in indigenous communities with attention to gender differences MIO, 2017aMIO, , 2017bMIO, , 2017dMota et al, 2012;Redvers et al, 2015;Reigstad & Kvernmo, 2017), enhancing teachers' ability to detect symptoms and problems as well as providing low threshold health services from primary school onwards Chachamovich et al, 2015;MIO, 2017aMIO, , 2017bMIO, , 2017d, and/or fostering parenting skills in young families Chachamovich et al, 2015;Kral et al, 2011;MIO, 2017aMIO, , 2017bMIO, , 2017d. The latter approach has shown to provide promising results such as decreasing rates of maladaptive behaviours and long-term mental health outcomes (Chachamovich et al, 2015).…”

“…This includes implementation of substance use prevention or culturally sensitive and integrative intervention programs emphasising violence awareness and parenting skills, which could be a critical step in reducing suicidality and childhood maltreatment (Mota et al, 2012).…”