The Prevalence of Suicide among Aboriginal Youths

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Throughout history Aboriginal people have had to endure many tragedies such as the loss of identity, segregation, and racism which have all largely impacted their emotional and mental health. With this in mind, there is little wonder that aboriginal people have the highest suicide rates within Canada. Approximately four thousand people per year die by suicide within Canada with six to ten per cent of these people being of Aboriginal decent (Bonshor, Jebamani, Muth, & Lew, 2012). While it is devastating that these numbers are so significant, it is even more alarming to learn that the majority of these suicides are predominately Aboriginal youths. In fact, the suicide rate is five to seven times higher within Aboriginal youths over non-Aboriginal youths (Health Canada, 2013). As a psychiatric nurse it is imperative that one becomes educated on why suicide rates are so high within the Aboriginal youth, how suicide negatively impacts the Aboriginal communities, and learns how one can help to develop a suicide prevention plan to reduce the rates of suicide within Aboriginal youths.
Before one considers ways in which one can help to reduce the numbers of suicides within Aboriginal youths it is first important to gain an understanding of why suicide is so prevalent within Aboriginal communities. This student has determined that there are many contributing factors that can negatively affect an Aboriginal youth and in turn, potentially leave an Aboriginal youth feeling as though their choices are limited thus, suicide seems to be the only form of escape. While there are many contributing factors that may lead to an Aboriginal youth to suicide; the factors that stand out the most to this student are: historical, environmental, biological, ...

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... (2013). http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/promotion/suicide/index-eng.php
MacNeil, M. S. (2008). An epidemiologic study of Aboriginal adolescent risk in Canada the meaning of suicide. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 21(1): 3-12. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=8&sid=e499b956-9d6b-40c6-bbf5-368ea4ec5401%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=rzh&AN=2009802866
Sooke Family Resource Society. (2014). www.sfrs.ca
Touhy, T. A., Jett, K. F., Boscart, V., & McCleary, L. (2012). Ebersole and Hess gerontological nursing and healthy aging (1st ed.). Toronto, ON: Elsevier Canada.
Witter Du Gas, B., Esson, L., & Ronaldson, S. E. (1999). Nursing foundations a Canadian perspective (2nd ed.). Scarborough, ON: Prentice Hall Canada Inc.
World Health Organization. (2014). http://www.who.int/hia/evidence/doh/en/

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