4 research outputs found
Variations in suicide method and in suicide occurrence by season and day of the week in Russia and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Northwestern Russia: a retrospective population-based mortality study
Background: Suicide is an important world health issue, especially in territories inhabited by indigenous people.
This investigated differences in suicide rates, suicide methods, and suicide occurrence by month and day of the
week among the indigenous and non-indigenous populations of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) and to
compare the findings from the NAO with national Russian statistics.
Methods: In this retrospective population-based mortality study we investigated all suicides that occurred in the
NAO in 2002–2012 (N = 252). Suicide method and the month and day of the week suicide occurred was taken from
autopsy reports and disaggregated by ethnic group (indigenous and non-indigenous) and sex. Data from the NAO
were then compared with national data from the Russian Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat).
Results: Hanging was the most common suicide method in the NAO in both indigenous and non-indigenous
populations. The proportion of suicides by hanging among males was lower in the NAO than in national data
(69.3 vs 86.2 %), but the inverse was true for females (86.5 vs 74.9 %). Suicide by firearm and by cutting was significantly
higher among the indigenous population in the NAO when compared with national data. Peaks in suicide occurrence
were observed in May and September in the NAO, whereas national data showed only one peak in May.
Suicide occurrence in the indigenous population of the NAO was highest in April, while the non-indigenous
population showed peaks in May and September. Suicide occurrence in the NAO was highest on Fridays; in
national data this occurrence was highest on Mondays.
Conclusions: We showed different relative frequencies of suicide by hanging, cutting, and firearm, as well as
different suicide occurrence by month and day of the week in the NAO compared with Russia as a whole.
These results can be used to plan suicide prevention activities in the Russian Arctic
Variations in suicide method and in suicide occurrence by season and day of the week in Russia and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Northwestern Russia: a retrospective population-based mortality study
Rising Sun: Prioritized outcomes for suicide prevention in the Arctic
The Arctic Council, a collaborative forum among governments and Arctic communities, has highlighted the problem of suicide and potential solutions. The mental health initiative during the United States chairmanship, Reducing the Incidence of Suicide in Indigenous Groups: Strengths United Through Networks (RISING SUN), used a Delphi methodology complemented by face-to-face stakeholder discussions to identify outcomes to evaluate suicide prevention interventions. RISING SUN underscored that multilevel suicide prevention initiatives require mobilizing resources and enacting policies that promote the capacity for wellness, for example, by reducing adverse childhood experiences, increasing social equity, and mitigating the effects of colonization and poverty