Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2012
Lifetime and past-year suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults, aged 18 years and over, Canada, 2012
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Suicide rates are significantly higher among First Nations, Métis and Inuit than among the non-Aboriginal population, particularly for younger age groups.Note 1Note 2Note 3 Suicidal thoughts, which precede suicide attempts and completions,Note 4 have been reported to be higher in some Aboriginal groups compared to the non-Aboriginal population.Note 5Note 6 This factsheet presents prevalence of lifetime and past-year suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults in three age groups (18-25, 26-59 and 60+ years), by sex, and where possible, in comparison to that among non-Aboriginal adults.
About one in five off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults have ever had suicidal thoughts; women are more likely than men to have experienced these thoughts
- In 2012, about one in five (20%) off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults, 18 years and older, had ever had suicidal thoughts in their lifetime (Table 1). The percentages are 21% for off-reserve First Nations people, 18% for Métis and 22% for Inuit (Chart 1).
- There was no significant difference in the prevalence of suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults living in the provinces compared with those living in the territories (19% versus 21%).
- In the provinces, off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults were significantly more likely to have had suicidal thoughts than non-Aboriginal adults (19% versus 12%).
- Women were more likely than men to report suicidal thoughts among both off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit (22% versus 16%) and non-Aboriginal adults (13% versus 10%) (Chart 2).
- Differences between age groups were not consistent among the three Aboriginal groups:
- Among off-reserve First Nations and Métis adults, 18- to 25-year-olds were less likely to have ever had lifetime suicidal thoughts than 26- to 59-year-olds. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two age groups among Inuit.
- Off-reserve First Nations and Métis adults, aged 60 and older, were less likely to have had lifetime suicidal thoughts compared to 26- to 59-year-olds.
- Among non-Aboriginal adults in the provinces, 18- to 25-year-olds were more likely to have had suicidal thoughts compared with 26- to 59-year-olds (15% versus 12%); however, the latter were more likely to have had suicidal thoughts compared to those over the age of 60 (12% versus 8%).
Young Inuit adults were twice as likely to have had suicidal thoughts in the past year as older adults
- In 2012, five per cent of off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults, 18 years and older, reported having had suicidal thoughts in the previous year (Table 1).
- The prevalence of past year suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults living in the territories was the same as it was for the provinces (5% for both).
- In the provinces, off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults were significantly more likely to have had suicidal thoughts than non-Aboriginal adults (5% versus 3%).
- There were no differences in the prevalence of past-year suicidal thoughts between men and women.
- Inuit aged 18 to 25 years were twice as likely (11%) as Inuit aged 26 to 59 years (5%) to have had suicidal thoughts in the past year. No significant differences were seen between age groups among off-reserve First Nations and Métis.
Data table for Chart 1
Lifetime suicidal thoughts | |
---|---|
percent | |
Off-reserve First Nations | 21.1 |
Métis | 17.5 |
Inuit | 22.3 |
Sources: Statistics Canada, Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2012 and the Canadian Community Health Survey – Mental Health, 2012. |
Data table for Chart 2
Lifetime suicidal thoughts | |
---|---|
percent | |
Off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit (combined) | |
Males | 16.3Note data table 2† |
Females | 21.9Note data table 2* |
Non-Aboriginal | |
Males | 10.4Note data table 2† |
Females | 12.5Note data table 2* |
|
Lifetime | Past-year | |
---|---|---|
percent | ||
Suicidal thoughts (18+ years) | ||
Off-reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and sexes combined | 19.5Note * | 4.8Note * |
Off-reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and sexes combined (provinces only) | 19.4Note * | 4.8Note * |
Off-reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and sexes combined (territories only) | 21.0Note * | 5.1Note * |
Off-reserve First Nations, sexes combined | 21.1Note * | 5.6Note * |
Métis, sexes combined | 17.5Note * | 4.0 |
Inuit, sexes combined | 22.3Note * | 5.9Note * |
Non-Aboriginal, sexes combined (provinces only)Note † | 11.5 | 3.0 |
Off-reserve First Nations, Inuit, and Métis combined (18+ years), by sex | ||
MenNote † | 16.3 | 4.5 |
Women | 21.9Note * | 5.0 |
Non-Aboriginal, by sex (18+ years) | ||
MenNote † | 10.4 | 3.0 |
Women | 12.5Note * | 3.0 |
Off-reserve First Nations, sexes combined | ||
18 to 25 years | 16.9Note * | 7.1Note E: Use with caution |
26 to 59 yearsNote † | 24.0 | 5.8Note E: Use with caution |
60+ years | 12.8Note * | Note F: too unreliable to be published |
Métis, sexes combined | ||
18 to 25 years | 15.7Note * | 5.4Note E: Use with caution |
26 to 59 yearsNote † | 19.6 | 4.5Note E: Use with caution |
60+ years | 10.9Note * | Note F: too unreliable to be published |
Inuit, sexes combined | ||
18 to 25 years | 26.7 | 11.3Note * |
26 to 59 yearsNote † | 23.5 | 4.9 |
60+ years | Note F: too unreliable to be published | Note F: too unreliable to be published |
Non-Aboriginal (provinces only), sexes combined | ||
18 to 25 years | 14.7Note * | 5.0Note * |
26 to 59 yearsNote † | 12.4 | 3.1 |
60+ years | 7.5Note * | 1.8Note * |
E use with caution F too unreliable to be published
|
For more information on factors associated with suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit, please see these publications: “Lifetime suicidal thoughts among First Nations living off reserve, Métis and Inuit aged 26 to 59: Prevalence and associated characteristics (2016)”Note 7 and “Past-year suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Metis and Inuit adults, aged 18 to 25: Prevalence and associated characteristics (2016)”Note 8.
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About the data
The data are from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) and the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (CCHS–MH). The former was used for the analysis of suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit and the latter to compare estimates for the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations.
The 2012 APS is a national survey of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit aged 6 or older. It was the fourth cycle of the APS and focused on education, employment and health. The survey excluded residents of Indian reserves and settlements and certain First Nations communities in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The response rate was 76%, resulting in a sample of 28,410.Note 9 The 2012 CCHS–MH is a cross-sectional survey of the mental health status of Canadians and their use of mental health services. Data were collected from the household population, aged 15 or older, in the 10 provinces.Note 10 The survey excluded residents of Indian reserves and settlements, full-time members of the Canadian Forces, and the institutionalized population. The response rate was 68.9%, yielding a sample of 25,113.
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Notes
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