It is time to mobilize suicide prevention for sexual and gender minorities in Canada

Abstract

Suicide is a significant health issue among sexual and gender minority adults (SGMA); yet, there are no tailored suicide prevention programs for these marginalized populations in Canada. We hosted two world cafés with community leaders, health professionals, policymakers, and researchers to identify recommendations for mobilizing SGMA-focused suicide prevention programs. We identified five priorities: (1) make society safer for sexual and gender minorities; (2) decrease barriers to mental health services;(3) support community-driven and community-based interventions; (4) increase suicide knowledge and reduce stigma; (5) expand the knowledge base on SGMA suicide. In the absence of a national Canadian SGMA suicide prevention policy, these priorities provide a starting point in addressing SGMA suicide inequities by advancing SGMA-tailored interventions. RésuméLe suicide est un problème de santé important chez les adultes issues des minorités sexuelles et de genre (AIMSG), par contre il n'existe aucun programme de prévention du suicide adapté à cette population au Canada. Nous avons donc organisé deux cafés du monde avec des dirigeants communautaires, des professionnels de la santé, des décideurs politiques et des chercheurs afin d'identifier des recommandations et des pistes de solutions au problème du suicide chez les AIMSG. Cinq priorités ont été identifiées : 1) rendre la société plus sécuritaire pour les AIMSG, 2) réduire les obstacles aux services en santé mentale, 3) soutenir les interventions et les efforts communautaires, 4) promouvoir les connaissances et réduire la stigmatisation liée au suicide chez les AIMSG, et 5) développer de nouvelles connaissances sur le suicide chez les AIMSG par la recherche. En l'absence d'une politique nationale canadienne de prévention du suicide pour les AIMSG, ces priorités fournissent un point de départ pour remédier aux inégalités relatives au suicide auxquelles font face les AIMSG et pour le développement d'interventions de prévention adaptées à cette population.

Correlates of suicidal ideation related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Repeated cross-sectional nationally representative Canadian data

“…In the meantime, and for the long-term, there is a “need for socio-politically informed interventions at both the individual and population levels” that recognize “that suicide is sometimes (if not often) a response to policies, systems, and structures that produce vulnerabilities in the form of intergenerational trauma, racism, gender violence, toxic masculinities, social marginalization, and inequities” ( White & Morris, 2019 , p. 11). Thus, tailored and safe mental health care is critically needed for groups – such as those who are non-cisgender, LGBT2Q+, Indigenous, youth, or live with a mental health condition – who face these harmful conditions ( Ferlatte et al, 2020 ; Wexler & Gone, 2012 ). Additionally, services that are responsive to the emerging needs of those who are living with post-COVID syndrome should be prioritized to help mitigate the effects on experiences of suicidality and to support these individuals in their recovery.…”

How to Save a Life: Vital Clues From Men Who Have Attempted Suicide

“…For example, unemployment, low education and income levels, and living alone in materially deprived areas have been identified as predictors of male suicide (Burrows et al, 2011). Within the overarching category of men, the subordinate status and marginalization of Indigenous men (Gross et al, 2016), and gay and bisexual men (Ferlatte et al, 2017), are also linked to disproportionally high rates of suicidality and suicide in these subgroups, with consistent calls to address these health disparities through targeted policy and services (Ferlatte et al, 2020).…”

Holistic Health of Two Spirit People in Canada: A Call for Nursing Action

“…Consistent with the invisibility of Two Spirit experiences within healthcare research, often the Two Spirit community is not addressed in frameworks for prevention of suicide, and statistics may not fully identify Indigenous people who do die by suicide ( Issa, 2019 ; Wechsler, 2016 ). Looking at the root causes, the increase in suicidality among the Two Spirit community is likely connected to homophobia, transphobia, isolation, and lack of connection ( Ferlatte et al, 2020 ; Hunt, 2016 ; National Aboriginal Health Organization, 2012 ), as well as their experiences of homelessness, violence ( Issa, 2019 ; Wechsler, 2016 ), or past trauma ( Ferlatte, Oliffe, Salway, et al, 2019 ).…”