Suicide rates for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: the influence of community level cultural connectedness

Abstract

Objectives To examine associations between community cultural connectedness indicators and suicide mortality rates for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Study design Retrospective mortality study. Setting, participants Suicide deaths of people aged 10‒19 years recorded by the Queensland Suicide Register, 2001‒2015. Main outcome measures Age‐standardised suicide death rates, by Indigenous status, sex, and age group; age‐standardised suicide death rates for young First Nations people by area level remoteness and Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage, and by cultural connectedness indicators (at statistical area level 2): cultural social capital index score, community Indigenous language use, and reported discrimination. Results The age‐specific suicide rate was 21.1 deaths per 100 000 persons/year for First Nations young people and 5.0 deaths per 100 000 persons/year for non‐Indigenous young people (rate ratio [RR], 4.3; 95% CI, 3.5‒5.1). The rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people was higher in areas with low levels of cultural social capital (greater participation of community members in cultural events, ceremonies, organisations, and community activities) than in areas classified as having high levels (RR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2‒2.7), and also in communities with high levels of reported discrimination (RR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.7‒4.3). Associations with proportions of Indigenous language speakers and area level socio‐economic resource levels were not statistically significant. Conclusion We found that suicide mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in Queensland were influenced by community level culturally specific risk and protective factors. Our findings suggest that strategies for increasing community cultural connectedness at the community level and reducing institutional and personal discrimination could reduce suicide rates.

The ripple effect, silence and powerlessness: hidden barriers to discussing suicide in Australian Aboriginal communities

“…Furthermore, the inter-relationships between the perceptions and the experiences suggest that addressing either of these drivers in isolation may have the unintended effect of increasing rather than decreasing suicide risk in Aboriginal communities. Using a sociological lens [ 24 ] may be particularly useful in understanding how silence plays a role in the ripple effect and in what it means for Aboriginal communities; and it would also be valuable to explore the role that connection to culture may play in being protective against suicide at a community level [ 24 – 26 ].…”

Suicides in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people following hospital admission for suicidal ideation and self-harm: A retrospective cohort data linkage study from the Northern Territory

“…The result also highlights the likely gendered influence of psychosocial and other populationlevel risk factors (Pitman et al, 2012) that were not able to be modelled in this study. Identifying and addressing these issues is particularly important for Aboriginal boys and men who typically do not have access to culturally appropriate services (Canuto et al, 2018) that can help them address Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(3) additional challenges that may further exacerbate their vulnerabilities to suicidal ideation and self-harm, such as stigma (Smith et al, 2020), discrimination (Haregu et al, 2021) and cultural disconnection (Gibson et al, 2021). A priority for future research should, therefore, be on identifying male-specific modifiable psychosocial risk and protective factors in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations that can inform improvements to hospital management and aftercare that better satisfy the unmet needs of boys and men that are known to hinder help-seeking behaviours and support recovery in the community (Taylor, 2003).…”

Applying systems approaches to stakeholder and community engagement and knowledge mobilisation in youth mental health system modelling

“… Consultations and communications will use strength-based language anchored in positive concepts of social and emotional wellbeing, avoiding academic and bureaucratic language that might exclude Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Program recognises the importance of the role of culture in social and emotional wellbeing, including traditional healing practices and reconnection to Country and cultural practices [ 56 ]. …”

“…The Program recognises the importance of the role of culture in social and emotional wellbeing, including traditional healing practices and reconnection to Country and cultural practices [ 56 ].…”