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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Release date: October 13, 2016

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

Young Inuit adults were twice as likely to have had suicidal thoughts in the past year as older adults

Chart 1 Prevalence of lifetime suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis, and Inuit adults, sexes combined, aged 18 and over, Canada, 2012

Data table for Chart 1
Data table for Chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 1 Lifetime suicidal thoughts, calculated using Percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  Lifetime suicidal thoughts
percent
Off-reserve First Nations 21.1
Métis 17.5
Inuit 22.3

Chart 2 Prevalence of lifetime suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis, and Inuit adults (combined) and non-Aboriginal adults, aged 18 and over, Canada, 2012

Data table for Chart 2
Data table for Chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for Chart 2 Lifetime suicidal thoughts, calculated using Percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  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*
Table 1
Prevalence of lifetime and past-year suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis, Inuit and non-Aboriginal adults, aged 18 years and over, by sex and age group, Canada, 2012
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1. Prevalence of lifetime and past-year suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations Lifetime and Past-year, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
  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 *

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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