Mental health issues associated with income inequality among Aboriginal peoples

Indigenous peoples in Canada have high rates of psychological distress, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, and these mental health issues are related to income inequality, a study published in CMAJ (Journal of the Canadian Medical Association).

Suicide is a leading cause of death among First Nations, Métis and Inuit, with rates 2 to 3 times higher than among non-Aboriginal Canadians.

"We have seen persistent and substantial income-related inequities in psychological distress and suicidal behavior among off-reserve Aboriginal peoples in Canada, including registered First Nations, non-status First Nations, Métis and the Inuit, "said Dr. Mohammad Hajizadeh, School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Of the 14,410 adults included in the study representing more than 600,000 Aboriginal people in 2012, the rate of suicidal ideation over life (suicidal thoughts during their lifetime) was 16% among men and 22% among women, with lifetime suicide rates. attempts at 2% for men and 2.3% for women. Using a scale to measure psychological distress, the researchers found that the score for men was 15.2 and 16.7 for women (10 indicating lack of distress and 50 indicating severe distress).

Data are from the Aboriginal Peoples Survey conducted by Statistics Canada.

The poorest people have experienced disproportionately greater psychological distress, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. Food insecurity – the uncertainty surrounding having a regular and affordable source of nutritious food – seemed to be a key factor explaining the higher rates of mental health problems among the people Aboriginal people with low incomes. The authors suggest focusing on improving the social determinants of health, such as income, employment and food availability, to address the mental health issues of poor indigenous peoples.

"Policies designed to combat food insecurity and income can help improve the mental health outcomes of low-income Aboriginal peoples living off-reserve," said Dr. Hajizadeh.

"Socio-economic Inequalities in Psychological Distress and Suicidal Behavior Among Off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples in Canada" is published on March 25, 2019.