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Using data from the 2020 and 2021 cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health, we examined suicidal ideation among adults in Canada aged 18 to 34 years. The prevalence of suicidal ideation among adults aged 18 to 34 years was 4.2% in fall 2020 and 8.0% in spring 2021. The subgroup of adults aged 18 to 24 years had the highest prevalence of suicidal ideation, 10.7%, in spring 2021. Prevalence varied by sociodemographic characteristics and tended to be higher among people living in materially deprived areas. Suicidal ideation was strongly associated with pandemic-related stressors respondents experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent evidence has suggested that there has been an increase in suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objectives were to estimate the likelihood of suicidal ideation among adults in Canada who experienced pandemic-related impacts and to determine if this likelihood changed during the pandemic. Methods: We analyzed pooled data for 18 936 adults 18 years or older from two cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health collected from 11 September to 4 December 2020 and from 1 February to 7 May 2021. We estimated the prevalence of suicidal ideation since the pandemic began and conducted logistic regression to evaluate the likelihood of suicidal ideation by adults who experienced pandemic-related impacts, and by factors related to social risk, mental health status, positive mental health indicators and coping strategies. Results: Adults who had adverse pandemic-related experiences were significantly more likely to experience suicidal ideation; a dose-response relationship was evident. People who increased their alcohol or cannabis use, expressed concerns about violence in their home or who had moderate to severe symptoms of depression, anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder also had significantly higher risk of suicidal ideation. The risk was significantly lower among people who reported high self-rated mental health, community belonging or life satisfaction, who exercised for their mental and/or physical health or who pursued hobbies. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced suicidal ideation in Canada. Our study provides evidence for targeted public health interventions related to suicide prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, the suicide rate is two times higher for males than for females. Previous studies in Newfoundland and Labrador did not examine age-specific rates by sex. The objectives of this study were to determine suicide rates by sex and age group and to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of males and females who died by suicide. Data and methods: This observational study analyzed a routinely collected dataset based on all medical examiner-determined suicide deaths among people aged 10 years and older in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, between 1997 and 2016. Age-standardized and age-specific suicide rates and rate ratios were calculated based on the number of deaths during the period, and descriptive statistics were used to compare demographic and clinical characteristics between males and females. Results: The age-standardized suicide rate was 4.6 times higher among males than females and was higher for males in most age groups. Rates were highest in the young adult age groups for males (20 to 24 years) and females (35 to 39 years). Males who died by suicide were more likely to be from a rural community and to have died by firearm; females were more likely to die by self-poisoning and to have had a mental illness or substance use history. Interpretation: The results are broadly consistent with previous research, though this is the first study to report age-specific suicide rates among females across the life course in Newfoundland and Labrador. The results underscore the need to design public health and clinical interventions that account for sex differences in suicide risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Data from the first round of the nationally representative Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (SCMH) revealed that the prevalence of recent suicidal ideation in the fall of 2020 in Canada did not differ significantly from that in the pre-pandemic period in 2019. The objective of the present study was to reassess the prevalence of recent suicidal ideation in the spring of 2021. Methods The prevalence of suicidal ideation among adults in Canada was examined using the 2021 SCMH (conducted between February 1 and May 7, 2021), and it was compared with the prevalence in the 2019 Canadian Community Health Survey. Unadjusted logistic regression analysis was used to assess the differential likelihood of reporting suicidal ideation in population subgroups. Results Among adults in Canada, the prevalence of suicidal ideation since the pandemic began was 4.2%, which was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic prevalence of 2.7% in 2019. A statistically significant increase in prevalence was observed among females and males, age groups younger than 65, and several other sociodemographic groups, as well as in British Columbia, the Prairie provinces and Ontario. People who were younger than 65 years, were born in Canada, had lower educational attainment, or were never married were significantly more likely to report suicidal ideation than others during the pandemic. Conclusion As the second year of the pandemic began, the prevalence of recent suicidal ideation in Canada was higher than it had been before the pandemic in 2019. Continuous monitoring of suicide-related outcomes and risks is necessary so that population-level changes can be detected and inform public health action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The purpose of this selective narrative review is to provide an overview of suicide and suicide prevention in the Circumpolar North and the relevance of global strategies and policies to these themes. We conducted a selective review of the English language literature on Arctic Indigenous mental health, suicide, and suicide prevention. We briefly present the social context, epidemiology, and risk and protective factors for suicide in the Arctic, with a focus on Indigenous peoples. We highlight a recent collaborative, intergovernmental response to elevated suicide rates in this region, the Reducing the Incidence of Suicide in Indigenous Groups – Strengths United through Networks Initiative, which used a consensus methodology to identify key outcomes for evaluating suicide prevention interventions in the circumpolar context. In relation to the Sustainable Development Goals, we examine recent policy developments in Indigenous-led suicide prevention and identify opportunities for strengthening policy, community interventions, and research. Globally, suicide prevention is a public health priority, and reducing the number of suicide deaths is a key target for sustainable development. Although overall and country-specific suicide rates have decreased since 1990, there remains wide variation at the regional and local level. This is particularly evident in the Arctic region known as the Circumpolar North, where Indigenous peoples experience marked disparities in suicide risk and suicide deaths compared to non-Indigenous populations. The factors that influence these variations are complex and often rooted in the social and economic consequences of colonization. The integration of science, community-based and Indigenous knowledge, and policies that address upstream risks for suicide will play an important role in suicide prevention alongside the growing number of Indigenous suicide prevention strategies tailored for specific populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue brings together a series of papers that were presented at the Northern, Rural, and Remote Health Conference in Labrador, Canada. In this collection, scholars and community leaders use local examples to explore some of the most pressing issues in Circumpolar health: Indigenous self-determination in health care and health research; access to traditional medicines; language and identity; youth engagement; mental health; climate change; and health technology. Recognizing the dynamic ways that these topics were raised at the conference, we've included a diverse slate of papers: from commentary essays and case studies, to primary research and evidence synthesis. The goal of this special issue is to bridge local insights, innovations, and varied forms of evidence from the Circumpolar North, with global conversations about health equity, health system transformation, and the rights of Indigenous peoples. This editorial provides an overview of the conference and an introduction to the scholarship that emerged from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]