1
|
Reccord C, Power N, Hatfield K, Karaivanov Y, Mulay S, Wilson M, Pollock N. Rural-Urban Differences in Suicide Mortality: An Observational Study in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: Différences de la Mortalité Par Suicide en Milieu Rural-Urbain: Une Étude Observationnelle à Terre-Neuve et Labrador, Canada. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2021; 66:918-928. [PMID: 33576277 PMCID: PMC8573702 DOI: 10.1177/0706743721990315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide rates are higher in rural compared to urban areas. Although this pattern appears to be driven by higher rates among men, there is limited evidence about the characteristics of rural people who die by suicide in Canada. The objective of this study was to examine the demographics, manner of death, and social and clinical antecedents of people who died by suicide in rural areas compared to urban areas. METHODS We conducted an observational study of all suicide deaths that occurred among Newfoundland and Labrador residents between 1997 and 2016 using a linked data set derived from a comprehensive review of provincial medical examiner records. We used t tests and χ2 to assess associations between rural/urban status and variables related to demographics, circumstances, and manner of death, as well as social and medical history. Logistic regression was utilized to assess the independent contribution of any variable found to be significant in univariate analysis. RESULTS Rural people who died by suicide accounted for 54.8% of all deaths over a 20-year period. Overall, 81.6% of people who died were male. Compared to urban, rural people who died by suicide were younger, more likely to use firearms or hanging, and had a higher mean blood alcohol content at the time of death (27.69 vs. 22.95 mmol/L). Rural people were also less likely to have had a known history of a prior suicide attempt, psychiatric disorder, alcohol or substance abuse, or chronic pain. DISCUSSION The demographic and clinical differences between rural and urban people who died by suicide underscore the need for suicide prevention approaches that account for place-based differences. A key challenge for suicide prevention in rural communities is to ensure that interventions are developed and implemented in a manner that fits local contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlene Reccord
- Department of Research, Eastern Health, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Nicole Power
- Department of Research, Eastern Health, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Keeley Hatfield
- Department of Research, Eastern Health, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.,McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yordan Karaivanov
- Medical Services, Labrador Health Centre, Labrador-Grenfell Health, Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.,Discipline of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Shree Mulay
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Margo Wilson
- Discipline of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.,Eastern Health, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Nathaniel Pollock
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.,School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies, Labrador Institute, Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ishimo MC, Sampasa-Kanyinga H, Olibris B, Chawla M, Berfeld N, Prince SA, Kaplan MS, Orpana H, Lang JJ. Universal interventions for suicide prevention in high-income Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries: a systematic review. Inj Prev 2021; 27:184-193. [PMID: 33483327 PMCID: PMC8005806 DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2020-043975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To examine the effectiveness of universal suicide prevention interventions on reducing suicide mortality in high-income Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries. METHODS We implemented a comprehensive search strategy across three electronic databases: MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycINFO (Ovid) and Embase (Ovid). All studies using time-series, retrospective, prospective, pre-post or cross-sectional study designs were included. Studies were required to examine suicide mortality as the outcome of interest. To help organise the results, studies were grouped into six broad categories of universal interventions consistent with the World Health Organization (WHO) Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan. A narrative synthesis of results was used to describe the findings. RESULTS Of the 15 641 studies identified through the search strategy, 100 studies were eligible in the following categories: law and regulation reforms (n=66), physical barriers (n=13), community-based interventions (n=9), communication strategies (n=4), mental health policies and strategies (n=7), and access to healthcare (n=1). Overall, 100% (13/13) of the included physical barrier interventions resulted in a significant reduction in suicide mortality. Although only 70% (46/66) of the law and regulation reform interventions had a significant impact on reducing suicide, they hold promise due to their extended reach. Universal suicide prevention interventions seem to be more effective at reducing suicide among males than females, identifying a need to stratify results by sex in future studies. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that universal suicide prevention interventions hold promise in effectively reducing suicide mortality in high-income OECD countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Claire Ishimo
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hugues Sampasa-Kanyinga
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brieanne Olibris
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mitulika Chawla
- Centre for Health Promotion, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Noami Berfeld
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephanie A Prince
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark S Kaplan
- Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Heather Orpana
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin J Lang
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada .,School of Mathematics and Statistics, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Orpana H, Giesbrecht N, Hajee A, Kaplan MS. Alcohol and other drugs in suicide in Canada: opportunities to support prevention through enhanced monitoring. Inj Prev 2020; 27:194-200. [PMID: 32220934 PMCID: PMC8005800 DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The use of alcohol and other drugs has been identified as a significant factor related to suicide through multiple pathways. This paper highlights current understanding of their contributions to suicide in Canada and identifies opportunities for enhancing monitoring and prevention initiatives. Publications from 1998 to 2018 about suicide in Canada and that referred to alcohol or other drugs were identified using PubMed and Google Scholar. A second literature search restricted to articles including results of toxicology testing was conducted by a librarian. We summarised the literature identified on ecological analyses, attributable fractions and deaths, and research including the results of toxicological analyses. Our literature search yielded 5230 publications, and 164 documents were identified for full-text screening. We summarised the findings from 30 articles. Ecological analyses support the association between alcohol sales, annual per capita alcohol consumption and suicide rates. Based on published estimates, approximately a quarter of suicide deaths in Canada are alcohol-attributable, while the estimated attributable fraction for illegal drugs is more variable. Finally, there is a dearth of literature examining the role of acute alcohol and/or drug consumption prior to suicide based on toxicological findings. The proportion of suicide decedents with drugs or alcohol present at the time of death varies widely. While there is evidence on the role of alcohol and drugs in suicide deaths, there is not a large body of research about the acute use of these substances at the time of death among suicide decedents in Canada. Our understanding of the role of alcohol and other drugs in suicide deaths could be enhanced through systematic documentation, which in turn could provide much needed guidance for clinical practice, prevention strategies and policy initiatives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather Orpana
- Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada .,School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Norman Giesbrecht
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aliya Hajee
- Downtown West Clinic, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark S Kaplan
- Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pollock NJ, Healey GK, Jong M, Valcour JE, Mulay S. Tracking progress in suicide prevention in Indigenous communities: a challenge for public health surveillance in Canada. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:1320. [PMID: 30482175 PMCID: PMC6260704 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-6224-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Indigenous peoples in Canada experience disproportionate rates of suicide compared to non-Indigenous populations. Indigenous communities and organizations have designed local and regional approaches to prevention, and the federal government has developed a national suicide prevention framework. However, public health systems continue to face challenges in monitoring the population burden of suicide and suicidal behaviour. National health data systems lack Indigenous identifiers, do not capture data from some regions, and do not routinely engage Indigenous communities in data governance. These challenges hamper efforts to detect changes in population-level outcomes and assess the impact of suicide prevention activities. Consequently, this limits the ability to achieve public health prevention goals and reduce suicide rates and rate inequities. This paper provides a critical analysis of the challenges related to suicide surveillance in Canada and assesses the strengths and limitations of existing data infrastructure for monitoring outcomes in Indigenous communities. To better understand these challenges, we discuss the policy context for suicide surveillance and examine the survey and administrative data sources that are commonly used in public health surveillance. We then review recent data on the epidemiology of suicide and suicidal behaviour among Indigenous populations, and identify challenges related to national surveillance. To enhance capacity for suicide surveillance, we propose strategies to better track progress in Indigenous suicide prevention. Specifically, we recommend establishing an independent community and scientific governing council, integrating Indigenous identifiers into population health datasets, increasing geographic coverage, improving suicide data quality, comprehensiveness, and timeliness, and developing a platform for making suicide data accessible to all stakeholders. Overall, the strategies we propose can build on the strengths of the existing national suicide surveillance system by adopting a collaborative and inclusive governance model that recognizes the stake Indigenous communities have in suicide prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel J Pollock
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada. .,Labrador Institute of Memorial University, P.O. Box 490, Stn. B, 219 Hamilton River Road, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, A0P 1E0, Canada.
| | - Gwen K Healey
- Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre, PO Box 11372, 764 Fred Coman Dr., Iqaluit, NT, X0A 0H0, Canada.,Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Jong
- Labrador-Grenfell Regional Health Authority, Labrador Health Centre, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.,Northern Family Medicine Program (NorFam), Discipline of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada
| | - James E Valcour
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada
| | - Shree Mulay
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Romero-Pimentel AL, Mendoza-Morales RC, Fresan A, Garcia-Dolores F, Gonzalez-Saenz EE, Morales-Marin ME, Nicolini H, Borges G. Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Completed Suicides in Mexico City 2014-2015. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:402. [PMID: 30245640 PMCID: PMC6137233 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To analyze sex differences in demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals who died by suicide in Mexico City. Method: Statistical analysis of residents of Mexico City whose cause of death was suicide, during two years period from January 2014 to December 2015, with a coroner's report. Suicide mortality rates were calculated by age, sex, and location within the city. The Chi-squared test was used to assess statistical differences. Results: From January 2014 to December 2015, 990 residents of Mexico City died by suicide (men: 78.28%, women: 21.72%). Among males, the highest mortality rates were among the groups of 20-24 and 75-79 years old, whereas in women, the group with the highest mortality rate was 15 to 19 years old. 74% of the sample used hanging as suicide method. However, men had higher rates of a positive result in the toxicology test (40%) (p < 0.05). There was no concordance between male and female suicide by city jurisdictions. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence that the characteristics of Mexico City's residents who committed suicide had significant sex-related differences, including where they used to live. Understanding the contributory factors associated with completed suicide is essential for the development of effective preventive strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana L Romero-Pimentel
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico.,Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | | | - Ana Fresan
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Fernando Garcia-Dolores
- Instituto de Ciencias Forenses, Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la CDMX, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Guilherme Borges
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ngamini Ngui A, Apparicio P, Moltchanova E, Vasiliadis HM. Spatial analysis of suicide mortality in Québec: spatial clustering and area factor correlates. Psychiatry Res 2014; 220:20-30. [PMID: 25095757 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the spatial distribution of suicide can inform the planning, implementation and evaluation of suicide prevention actions. No previous study has assessed spatial clustering of the different methods of suicide in Quebec. The aim of this study was to assess spatial clustering of suicide in Quebec between 2004 and 2007 and neighborhood level predictors of the clusters. Scan statistics was applied to detect clusters of suicides by method and by sex. Smoothed standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for suicide for each neighborhood were also estimated and their association with neighborhood characteristics was investigated using the Bayesian hierarchical spatial model. The pattern of suicide rate was different among men and women; men showed higher standardized mortality rates. The most likely clusters of suicide were found in remote rural areas. However, some neighborhoods in urban areas also had noticeable suicide clusters. Firearms suicide was most likely found in remote rural areas while poisoning and hanging suicide methods clustered in urban areas. These findings suggest that it is important to take geographical variations into account in national policy and health services planning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André Ngamini Ngui
- Centre de réadaptation en dépendance de Montréal - Institut Universitaire, Canada; Hôpital Charles LeMoyne Research Centre Longueuil (QC), Canada.
| | - Philippe Apparicio
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Urbanisation Culture Société, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Elena Moltchanova
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
| | - Helen-Maria Vasiliadis
- Hôpital Charles LeMoyne Research Centre Longueuil (QC), Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|