1 Statistics Canada, 2011 National Household Survey. (Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada, May 2011)
2 Grace M. Egeland, Inuit Health Survey 2007-2008: Nunavut. (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC: Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment, May 2010), 12.
3 Shirin Roshanafshar and Emma Hawkins, Health at a Glance: Food Insecurity in Canada. (Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada, March 25, 2015).
4 Heather Tait (Analyst/Researcher, Health Canada), e-mail message to author (June 23, 2016), 2010 Median Total Income for the Population Aged 15 and over, 2011 National Household Survey.
5 Canadian Institute for Health Information, Supply, Distribution and Migration of Physicians in Canada, 2014 (Ottawa, ON: Canadian Institute for Health Information, September 2015).
6 Statistics Canada, Table 102-0706: Life Expectancy, at Birth and at Age 65, by Sex, Five-Year Average, Canada and Inuit regions., accessed June 10, 2016. http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=1020706
Significant social and cultural upheavals in our society, such as colonization, have contributed to the increase in Inuit suicide rates today.
Social inequities translate into stress and adversity for families and can lead to disparities in health status, and increased risk of suicide.
Intergenerational traumatic experiences can contribute to risk for suicide, especially when they lead to depression and substance misuse.
Childhood adversity, such as extreme poverty, abuse, poor mental health, substance abuse, or neglect, is linked to suicidal behaviour.
Mental distress whether it be depression, substance misuse, mental health disorders or self-harm, are important risk factors for suicide.
Stressful life events or loss, coupes with access to lethal means, may play a strong role in suicidal behaviour.
Some people begin life with adversity, such as
being affected by acute stress while in the womb.
This base level of risk can multiply through stress factors related to social inequity, such as poverty and poor education.
Personal experiences, including physical or sexual abuse, can further multiply a person’s overall risk for suicide.
Exposure to suicide is a risk factor for suicide. Knowing people who have died by suicide can add to a person’s overall risk for suicide.
Having high rates of suicide in our communities means that suicide touches every community member, creating an underlying risk for suicide that affects all inuit.
As a result, many Inuit face individual risk factors for suicide in addition to being at risk by living in a high suicide society.
Creating equitable economic, education, health, and other resources, will relieve some major stressors and improve suicide risk.
Instilling a strong and grounded sense of Inuit culture, history, and language through networks of support can reduce the risk of suicide.
Providing a safe, nurturing, and predictable environment for children is one of the most significant factors to protect against suicide risk.
Accessible, Inuit-specific mental health services that provide support and identify individual needs can help address suicide before risks multiply.
Providing individuals with access to social supports and resources that help them regulate and cope with distress helps protect against suicide.
Providing children with safe environments that nurture social and emotional development will protect against other adversities.
Suicide is an expression of wider social and health disparities. Addressing social inequity through the social determinants of health, including
early childhood development, income distribution, housing and others, will address the underlying causes of suicide.
The strength and vibrancy of our language and culture is a cornerstone of Inuit well-being, yet many Inuit do not have access to this source of strength, even when they are in crisis and need support. Being able to access our rich heritage, including culturally safe services and care is imperative for suicide prevention.
Children who grow up in safe, nurturing and predictable environments have a foundation for healthy lifelong growth and development and are more likely to live healthier, happier lives with a reduced risk for suicide. Investing in the safety and wellness of children is the most impactful way to prevent suicide.
Many gaps exist in critical, culturally-relevant services that support mental wellness among Inuit. A continuum of mental wellness services is needed to ensure Inuit impacted by trauma and adversity are provided with the proper supports.
Unresolved trauma and grief can create lasting distress and contribute to suicide risk. To reduce suicide, it is necessary to address unresolved trauma and grief, including the impacts of historical trauma stemming from colonization and rapid social change.
Inuit knowledge is a source of strength that can build resilience and contribute to suicide prevention. Inuit regions, communities and local organizations must lead the development and implementation of suicide prevention initiatives.
Getting Started with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning is a means to achieve self-determination in Inuit program design and evaluation. The more Inuit take charge of monitoring and evaluation activities, the more monitoring and evaluation will serve our interests across Inuit Nunangat.
This report presents findings from an environmental scan that was undertaken to gather information around the following six topic areas.
Tel: 1 (877) 686-2845
Link: http://nrbhss.ca/sites/default/files/Mental_Health_Week_EN.pdf
If you live in Nunavik, you can contact your Community CLSC: 819-XXX-9090 in Inuktitut, English and French. Traditional Health Support workers are available from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and you can speak to someone in Inuktitut or English by calling 1 (877) 686-2845.
Tel: 1-855-242-3310
Link: https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/
The Hope for Wellness Help Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. Phone and chat counselling is available in English and French. On request, phone counselling is also available in Inuktitut.
Social Determinants of Inuit Health
The circumstances in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, are known as the social determinants of health. These factors have a large impact on our overall well-being and play a critical role in suicide prevention. Social determinants of health can vary from one culture and society to another. The social determinants of Inuit health include:
Clear evidence links social disadvantage, such as living in poverty and not getting enough to eat, to higher rates of suicide. Addressing these underlying causes of social inequity, are necessary to prevent suicide and will also improve many other areas of Inuit life.