Resource Tag: INUIT

Eekeeluak Avalak, an 18-year-old Inuk wrestler who won the first-ever gold medal for Nunavut at the Canada Summer Games in 2022, dedicated his win to his late brother who died by suicide in 2015. Avalak openly attributed sport – specifically wrestling – to saving his own life. This story raises important questions about the role […]

Since the 1970s, suicide has been a major public health issue in Greenland. The World Health Organization has emphasised the importance of the identification of both risk and protective factors in relation to suicide. The aim of this paper was to identify scientific literature on risk and protective factors for suicide and suicidal behaviour among […]

Background Between 1980 and 2018 Greenland has had one of the highest suicide rates in the world with an average rate of 96 suicides per 100,000 people annually. The aim of this study is to investigate suicide rates in Greenland according to age, birth cohort, period, sex, place of residence and suicide method from 1970 […]

Between 1980 and 2018 Greenland has had one of the highest suicide rates in the world with an average rate of 96 suicides per 100.000 person-years. The aim of this study is to investigate suicide rates in Greenland according to age, birth cohort, period, sex, place of residence and suicide method from 1970 until 2018. […]

Objective The ongoing effects of colonialism disproportionately place Indigenous youth at risk for mental health challenges. This meta-analysis examined lifetime and past-year prevalence estimates of mental health challenges among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth in Canada. Method Five electronic databases were searched from their inceptions until June 17, 2021. Studies were included if they […]

It was my observation through my role at the Nunavut Representative for Children and Youth’s Office that Nunavut’s Interagency Information Sharing Protocol (IISP) has the potential to positively impact young people, but it is not being meaningfully implemented in Nunavut communities. I also observed that there is also a lack of youth involvement in policy-making. […]

The rate of suicide amongst Inuit boys and men in Nunavik has risen since the 1980s. Despite this, little is known about the strengths and protective factors, and the unique risks, that contribute to suicidality amongst Inuit males. This article presents the findings of a qualitative interview study conducted with Inuit health and wellness workers […]

In Indigenous Writes, Chelsea Vowel, legal scholar, teacher, and intellectual, opens an important dialogue about these (and more) concepts and the wider social beliefs associated with the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada. In 31 essays, Chelsea explores the Indigenous experience from the time of contact to the present, through five categories—Terminology of Relationships; Culture and […]

Key Messages • The risk of suicide is elevated among northern Inuit communities in Canada because of intergenerational trauma from colonization, marginalization and the loss of the traditional Inuit lifestyle. This trauma has created social and economic inequities among Inuit communities. • Mental distress, including problematic substance use, mental health disorders and self-harm, are important […]

Higher rates of anxiety, depression, and attempted suicide are reported among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people compared with non-Indigenous people in Canada. This systematic review summarises the key components of mental health interventions among Indigenous Peoples in Canada. We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science between January 1,1970, and August 30, 2019. […]

This article attempts to fill some of these knowledge gaps using the 2011 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC), resulting from a record integration between the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS) and the Canadian Vital Statistics Database (CVSD). It presents suicide rates for the 2011 to 2016 time period among selfidentifying First Nations, Métis, […]

Created in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national organization representing Inuit across Canada, this report in short summarizes statistics on substance use and mental health among Inuit. It identifies risk factors for suicide, including community distress, mental health conditions, substance use and socioeconomic inequities. Statistics on alcohol, cannabis and other substance use are also […]

The Objective The main objective of this study is to trace the life course of those who died as a result of suicide in Nunavik between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018. This group will be compared with two other distinct groups: a second group made up of individuals who have made one or […]

Suicide among young Inuit in the Canadian Arctic is at an epidemic level. In order to understand the distress and well-being experienced in Inuit communities, a first step in understanding collective suicide, this qualitative study was designed. Fifty Inuit were interviewed in two Inuit communities in Nunavut, Canada, and questionnaires asking the same questions were […]

Death by suicide and attempted suicide among Inuit youth is now considered a public health emergency of epidemic proportion, with rates among the highest worldwide. A strong sense of cultural identity and pride, as well as social capital, has been identified as being protective against suicide. The Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) Guidelines for […]

This article reports results of the life trajectories from 92 Inuit who died by suicide, matched for age and gender with 92 living-controls. A proxy-based procedure and semi-structured interviews with informants were conducted to obtain trajectories of developmental events occurring over the life course for suicide and community-matched controls. Results from this research indicate two […]

Indigenous perspectives, much older than the nation itself, shared through maps, artwork, history and culture. [v.1]. [Without special title] — [v.2]. First Nations — [v.3]. Inuit — [v.4]. Metis — Includes detailed Reference maps, a section on Truth and Reconciliation and a Glossary.

For decades, researchers have reported high suicide rates among Aboriginal youth, which are several times higher than rates among non-Aboriginal youth. Based on the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, this article presents estimates of prevalence of suicidal thoughts among off-reserve First Nations, Métis and Inuit adults aged 18 to 25. It examines associations between past-year suicidal thoughts […]

Inuit communities of Canada experience many disparities in health and psychosocial context. Research in community psychology has shown associations between such socio-ecological factors and individual well-being. The objective of the study was to explore how community-level determinants of well-being influence family well-being in a northern community of Nunavik, Quebec. A total of 14 participants were […]

The Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy1 (the Strategy) was published in 2010, based on extensive research and collaboration with diverse stakeholders across Nunavut. The Strategy provides an overall approach to suicide prevention in Nunavut. It supports us to develop evidence-based action plans that respond to changing needs and opportunities. Each action plan sets out specific goals and […]

Many Hands, One Dream: New perspectives on the health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and youth was a gathering that marked the collaborative efforts of 11 national organizations engaging a wider community to help define child health, acknowledge the barriers and strengths of the current health system, and to articulate what a desirable future […]

Inuit in Canada have among the highest suicide rates in the world, and it is primarily among their youth. Risk factors include known ones such as depression, substance use, a history of abuse, and knowing others who have made attempts or have killed themselves, however of importance are the negative effects of colonialism. This took […]

A victim of childhood violence and neglect, Tony Kalluk spent half of his first forty years in jail or on probation. He was angry, violent; he attempted “suicide by police” but was only shot in the leg. Later something changed; he returned home to Clyde River, became a counselor to others in distress, and started […]