Suicide risk and mental health in the general population of French Polynesia

Abstract

Objective There are no reports on the burden of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in the general population of French Polynesia (FP). We aimed to improve suicide prevention and mental health care by assessing the prevalence of suicide risk and major mental health disorders and care among adults in FP. Methods We conducted the Mental Health in General Population Survey in FP during 2015 to 2017. Participants were selected using the quota method to obtain a representative sample of the general population. Suicide risk and psychiatric diagnoses were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Results We included 968 people aged 18 years or older. The prevalence of current suicidal ideation (13.1%) and current (2.6%) and lifetime suicide attempts (18.6%), as well as mental health disorders (42.8%), was high in FP. A notable proportion of participants with these conditions did not seek medical assistance. Conclusion A high prevalence of suicide risk and mental health disorders was found in the general population of FP. Suicide prevention and mental health plans are needed in FP that include better access to primary care for the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. Further research is needed to clarify cultural risk and protective factors.

Suicide attempts in French Polynesia during the era of COVID-19: a prospective analysis over three years

“…The low rate of depression (9.9%), for example, can also be explained by cultural and linguistic aspects. The overall prevalence of unipolar depression in French Polynesia has not been well assessed, except for the MHGP study, 2 which recently reported rates ranging from 8.5% to 18.2% in the general population. The Non-Fatal Suicide Behaviors study conducted in 2016 5 reported a rate of 45% for mood disorders, but it did not differentiate between subtypes, including bipolar disorder.…”

“…Past studies on the general population in French Polynesia suggest a disproportionate prevalence of mental disorders. 2 Suicidal behaviors, in particular, are a rising concern, with a risk in the general population that has been estimated doubles that of mainland France (26% vs 13%), contrasted by a lower mortality rate (10.6 per 100,000 inhabitants). 3 However, this phenomenon, described as the "suicide paradox", 4 remains to be confirmed, with the latest published epidemiological data on completed suicide dating back as far as 2018.…”

Perceptions and barriers about mental health services among Pacific Islanders: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.

“…According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of individuals aged 15–24 years old, the Asian American Pacific Island community was the only ethnic community where suicide was found to be the leading cause of death (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). This trend is not new and extends across PI groups over the world (Amadéo et al, 2022). Past studies that have disaggregated PI from Asian Americans have found that PI populations have some of the highest completed suicide rates in the world (Booth, 1999; Else et al, 2007) with some PI ethnic groups reporting youth suicide rates that are estimated to be seven times the U.S. national average (Else et al, 2007).…”