Death in 12-24-Year-Old Youth in Nova Scotia: High Risk of Preventable Deaths for Males, Socially Deprived and Rural Populations – a Report From the NSYOUTHS Program

The authors evaluated social & demographic determinants of deaths in youth aged 12-24-years in Nova Scotia for the period 1995-2004. Youth most at risk of death were males, the more socially deprived, & those living in rural areas. There was a five-fold increase in suicides & a three-fold increase in injury deaths in males compared to fmales & a substantial component of these deaths were amongst males living in rural areas. Initiatives & prevention policies should be targeted towards specific at-risk groups. Published vital statistics hide these trends & thus provide only limited evidence on which to base prevention initiatives. (14 refs) JA