Aboriginal Youth Suicide

Question

I'm looking for recent data on aboriginal youth suicide rates particularly for Saskatchewan. I can find a lot of material around the topic and some pretty old statistics, but would like to find more information. 

Answer

The Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database collects demographic and cause of death information annually from all provincial and territorial vital statistics registries on all deaths in Canada. I have contacted the Health Statistics Division to confirm if this information would be available as a custom tab.

Articles of interest

Premature mortality in health regions with high Aboriginal populations:
This article examines the rate of potential years of life lost--a measure used to quantify premature mortality in differing health regions. The rate was considerably higher in health regions with large proportions of Aboriginal residents, compared with other health regions. Much of this difference was attributed to injuries in the high-Aboriginal regions; notably, suicides and motor vehicle accidents.
Suicide rates: An overview

Tsuu T'ina Nation Statistics

Question

I am looking for the rate of diabetes, suicide rate, and addiction rates for the indigenous peoples of the Tsuu T'ina Nation near Calgary, AB. Please let me know where I can find these rates.

Answer

Health Canada has produced "Acting On What We Know: Preventing Youth Suicide in First Nations" http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/pubs/promotion/_suicide/prev_youth-jeunes/index-eng.php Statistics are not included specifically for the T'suu T'ina nation but there may be some items of interest in the report.

The Public Health Agency of Canada produced a Diabetes Surveillance Data - http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ccdpc-cpcmc/ndss-snsd/english/diabetes_data/index-eng.php

Health Canada also has an extensive list of links on Addiction and Substance Abuse in First Nations, Inuit and Aboriginal Health here http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/pubs/substan/index-eng.php

Several journal articles are available from Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health
http://www.pimatisiwin.com/online/?s=suicide which is supported by Native Counseling Services of Alberta.

Suicides in Alberta is available from the Alberta Ministry of Justice - 2007 being the latest issue - http://justice.alberta.ca/programs_services/fatality/ocme/Publications_OCME/SuicidesinAlberta2007.aspx/DispForm.aspx?ID=30

The tables do not specify aboriginal/non-aboriginal population but do list a breakdown by Regional Health Authority and Place of Residence.

This may be a good site to starting point for finding the data you require http://www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/programs/aboriginal/index.htm. This report looks quite useful http://www.fsin.com/healthandsocial/childportal/images/Health%20Status%20and%20Health%20needs%20of%20Aborigtinal%20Children%20and%20Youth.pdf

You may also find this web page it is the Health Canada First Nations, Inuit & Aboriginal Health http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/index-eng.php

Additional Information

In addition to the sources recommended by others, the 2006 Aboriginal Population Profile for Calgary in 2006 Aboriginal Population Profiles for Selected Cities and Communities (89-638-XWE) may be of interest. The introduction states that "This report examines the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the Aboriginal population living in the census metropolitan area (CMA) of Calgary. The census metropolitan area of Calgary includes the Tsuu T'ina Nation (Tsuu T'ina Nation 145)." Health is discussed at the very end of the publication. (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-638-x/2010003/article/11076-eng.htm)

The report draws from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS). The APS 2006 public use microdata file (PUMF) which is available through the DLI includes variables on diabetes, alcohol consumption, drug abuse and suicide but wouldn't provide data on the Tsuu T'ina Nation specifically.

The 2006 Profile of Aboriginal Children, Youth and Adults (http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/89-635/index.cfm?Lang=eng) provides a wide range of data for Alberta, Alberta (rural) and Alberta (urban), including health data on diabetes which may be of interest.

Other data may be available on a custom basis for a fee. If this is of interest to your user, please let me know and I will refer you to an Account Executive who can confirm what custom tables can be produced and at what cost.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada or Health Canada may also provide relevant statistics through their websites.

I hope that this information is helpful. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.