Table 3:

Prevalence of lifetime suicidal ideations and suicide attempts among Indigenous peoples living off-reserve (n = 14 410)

CharacteristicLifetime suicidal ideationLifetime suicide attempt
TotalMenWomenTotalMenWomen
%p value%p value%p value%p value%p value%p value
Total prevalence19.416.121.92.22.02.3
Demographic variable
Sex
 Male16.1< 0.0012.00.002
 Female21.92.3
Marital status
 Married15.4< 0.00112.9< 0.00117.6< 0.0011.4< 0.001NR1.4< 0.001
 Divorced or widowed27.822.929.62.0NR2.2
 Single22.219.824.13.7NR4.0
Cultural group
Métis17.5< 0.00113.8< 0.00120.5< 0.0011.7< 0.0011.2< 0.0012.2< 0.001
Status First Nations21.318.823.52.42.52.4
Non-status First Nations19.616.222.22.73.52.0
Inuit22.720.724.33.21.64.5
Socioeconomic variable
Education level
 ≤ Grade 814.8< 0.00115.1< 0.00114.6< 0.0011.7< 0.0012.5< 0.0010.9< 0.001
 Grades 9–1023.321.125.24.13.34.8
 Grade 11–secondary completed18.515.321.22.12.02.2
 Some postsecondary20.718.922.22.31.92.7
 Postsecondary degree/diploma19.014.122.41.81.61.9
Employment status
 Employed17.5< 0.00115.5< 0.00119.1< 0.0011.6< 0.0011.5< 0.0011.6< 0.001
 Not in the labour force23.418.925.63.53.73.4
 Unemployed21.315.027.22.72.03.3
Household crowding
 Rooms per capita ≤ 221.4< 0.00117.8< 0.00124.0< 0.0012.6< 0.001NR2.8< 0.001
 Rooms per capita > 2 to 417.413.820.11.8NR1.7
 Rooms per capita > 416.115.516.61.6NR1.6
Housing maintenance
 Regular17< 0.00114.5< 0.00118.9< 0.0011.6< 0.0011.4< 0.0011.7< 0.001
 Minor20.017.122.52.42.42.4
 Major27.420.332.14.03.24.5
Food security
 High14.8< 0.00112.5< 0.00116.7< 0.0011.2< 0.0011.4< 0.0011.1< 0.001
 Low34.430.636.93.82.25.0
 Very low44.443.145.09.39.99.0
Behavioural variable
Drinking habit
 Regular drinker (yes)16. 7< 0.00114.5< 0.00118.9< 0.0012.20.82.00.92.40.3
 Regular drinker (no)22.919.224.92.22.02.3
Smoking habit
 Daily tobacco use (yes)27.8< 0.00125.1< 0.00129.8< 0.0013.8< 0.0013.6< 0.0014.0< 0.001
 Daily tobacco use (no)15.612.118.31.41.31.6
Social connectedness variable
Strong extended family tie (yes)15.7< 0.00111.2< 0.00118.6< 0.0011.2< 0.0011.0< 0.0011.3< 0.001
Strong extended family tie (no)23.220.425.83.22.83.6
No one to turn to for support (yes)27.0< 0.00120.6< 0.00135.1< 0.0015.7< 0.0014.2< 0.0017.5< 0.001
No one to turn to for support (no)19.015.821.42.01.82.1
Other cultural variable
Cultural engagement
 Clothing or footwear (yes)30.2< 0.00133.2< 0.00129.8< 0.0013.2< 0.0016.6< 0.0012.70.002
 Clothing or footwear (no)18.215.520.52.11.82.2
 Art craft (yes)27.6< 0.00123.2< 0.00129.8< 0.0012.8< 0.0011.90.53.2< 0.001
 Art craft (no)16.114.117.91.92.01.9
 Hunting/fishing/trapping (yes)17.6< 0.00114.9< 0.00121.50.22.20.72.3< 0.0012.10.006
 Hunting/fishing/trapping (no)20.417.322.02.21.72.4
 Plant gathering (yes)17.7< 0.00115.4< 0.00119.6< 0.0012.10.0012.10.062.1< 0.001
 Plant gathering (no)23.118.026.42.41.72.9
Language
 Speak Indigenous language (yes)20.8< 0.00117.6< 0.00122.70.062.5< 0.0011.70.013.1< 0.001
 Speak Indigenous language (no)19.215.921.82.12.02.2
Residential school variable
Not attended17.0< 0.00114.0< 0.00119.3< 0.0011.6< 0.0011.7< 0.0011.6< 0.001
Any family member attended24.320.226.93.43.03.7
Missing26.624.028.43.51.74.8
Geographical variable
Urbanicity
 Rural15.5< 0.00113.7< 0.00117.1< 0.0011.8< 0.0012.1< 0.0011.5< 0.001
 Small population centre17.515.319.31.92.31.6
 Medium population centre22.116.625.63.42.93.7
 Urban21.517.724.32.21.52.7
Region
 Atlantic provinces12.0< 0.0018.5< 0.00114.4< 0.0010.8< 0.001NR1.3< 0.001
 Quebec22.322.222.42.4NR1.8
 Ontario20.016.222.92.5NR2.6
 Manitoba15.613.617.12.5NR1.9
 Saskatchewan17.312.220.81.5NR2.0
 Alberta21.616.425.52.1NR3.3
 British Columbia21.317.324.42.3NR2.0
 Territories21.221.820.82.7NR3.5

  • Note: NR = not reported.*

  • * Values are not reported per the data disclosure policy of Statistics Canada’s Research Data Centres for small cell sizes (fewer than 10 unweighted individuals with the outcome variable in 1 of the subgroups of each categorical variables).