Suicidal Ideation Among Adults with Disability in Western Canada: A Brief Report

Abstract

This study investigated prevalence and risk factors for suicidal ideation among adults with self-reported disability in Western Canada. The method was secondary data analysis utilising the Canadian Community Health Survey. The odds of 12-month suicidal ideation are 3.5 times greater for adults with self-reported disability compared with non-disabled adults, controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and psychiatric morbidity. The heightened risk of ideation among adults with self-reported disability is partially explained by social adversity, including food insecurity and low sense of community belonging. Reducing suicide risk among adults with disability requires a broad-spectrum approach, including mental health care, and strategies to ameliorate social and economic hardship.

Suicidal ideations and coping strategies of mothers living with physical disabilities: a qualitative exploratory study in Ghana

“…This study explored suicidal ideations among mothers living with physical disabilities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana which highlighted the commonality of the issue among this category of mothers. This is similar to other findings since adults with disabilities have been found to have higher rates of suicidal thoughts compared to their counterparts who have no disabilities [ 8 , 9 ]. Perhaps disability poses challenges to those who live with it and such challenges may predispose them to depression and subsequent suicidal thoughts.…”

“…Some individuals perceive suicide as acceptable in a situation where there is a disability [ 7 ]. Adults with disabilities have higher rates of suicidal ideations compared to those without disabilities [ 8 , 9 ]. For each successful suicide, there could be many ideations and attempts.…”

Acute Trauma Factor Associations With Suicidality Across the First 5 Years After Traumatic Brain Injury

“…8 Although chronic pain is common after TBI, its role in both SI and SA seems to be related more to an individual's perception or acceptance of pain, rather than pain severity, 9 which is in turn associated with disability, 10 an additional known risk factor for suicidality. 11,12 Severity of TBI has not been linked consistently to depression or risk of suicidality, 7,13,14 but other injury-related factors (eg, severity of extracranial injury [ECI]) that may lead to both increased distress and greater disability have not been assessed in previous studies.…”

The interRAI Suite of Mental Health Assessment Instruments: An Integrated System for the Continuum of Care

“…A four-nation study showed that impaired physical functioning and dual sensory loss were associated with greater odds of depressive symptoms in home care clients (47). Suicide attempts may cause disability among survivors, but also there is increased risk of suicide among persons living with physical disabilities (48)(49)(50)(51) for reasons that include pain and a sense of burden to others (52,53).…”