Yet Canada's suicide rate, especially among First Nations and low income people, is significant. It is about 14% higher than the United States.
Overall, the suicide rate for Canadians is 15 per 100,000 people. As mentioned rates are higher among specific groups. For example, the suicide rate for Inuit peoples living in Northern Canada is between 60 and 75 per 100,000 people, or four or five times the general rate. Other populations at an increased risk of suicide include youth, the elderly, inmates in correctional facilities, people with a mental illness, and those who have previously attempted suicide.
Tomorrow a Facebook group supports Suicide Awareness Day. It's not a bad idea and well timed for an election. But Canada needs more than a Facebook group -- we need a national suicide prevention strategy.
4 comments:
"Overall, the suicide rate for Canadians is 15 per 100,000 people."
It is nowhere near that high. According to stats Canada, it has been below 12 since 1999. If memory serves Canada has only once been above 15.
The suicide rate in Canada peaked at 15.2 in 1978, dipped below 12 for the first time in 32 years in 2000 and reached a post 1970 low of 11.3 in 2004.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/mh-sm/pdf/suicid_e.pdf
http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/rs/rep/2006/rr06-2/rr06-2.pdf
http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/perhlth66a.htm?sdi=suicide
The average suicide rate per year between 1970 and 1976 was 13.35, between 1977 and 1983 it was 14.5, between 1984 and 1990 it was 13.1, between 1991 and 1997 it was 13 and between 1998 to 2004 it was 12.
Koby, This is good and I thank you for it -- I was relying on some info from StatsCan on the web but it looks outdated. Regardless, I still think we need to focus a bit more on suicide -- even if the trending is good!
Liberals are going to need a suicide prevention strategy...sadly, it needs to be in place by May 3.
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