Dataset Information

Suicide and Self-Harm in Recent Immigrants in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To estimate the rates of suicide and self-harm among recent immigrants and to determine which immigrant-specific risk factors are associated with these outcomes.

Methods

Population-based cohort study using linked health administrative data sets (2003 to 2017) in Ontario, Canada which included adults ?18 years, living in Ontario (N = 9,055,079). The main exposure was immigrant status (long-term resident vs. recent immigrant). Immigrant-specific exposures included visa class and country of origin. Outcome measures were death by suicide or emergency department visit for self-harm. Cox proportional hazards estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

We included 590,289 recent immigrants and 8,464,790 long-term residents. Suicide rates were lower among immigrants (n = 130 suicides, 3.3/100,000) than long-term residents (n = 6,354 suicides, 11.8/100,000) with aHR 0.3, 95% CI, 0.2 to 0.3. Male-female ratios in suicide rates were attenuated in immigrants. Refugees had 2.1 (95% CI, 1.3 to 3.6; rate 6.1/100,000) and 2.8 (95% CI, 2.5 to 3.2) times the likelihood of suicide and self-harm, respectively, compared with nonrefugee immigrants. Self-harm rate was lower among immigrants (n = 2,256 events, 4.4/10,000) than long-term residents (n = 68,039 events, 9.7/10,000 person-years; aHR 0.3; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.3). Unlike long-term residents, where low income was associated with high suicide rates, income was not associated with suicide among immigrants and there was an attenuated income gradient for self-harm. Country of origin-specific analyses showed wide ranges in suicide rates (1.4 to 9.9/100,000) and self-harm (1.8 to 14.9/10,000).

Conclusion

Recent immigrants have lower rates of suicide and self-harm and different sociodemographic predictors compared with long-term residents. Analysis of contextual factors including immigrant class, origin, and destination should be considered for all immigrant suicide risk assessment.

SUBMITTER: Saunders NR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6882076 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Suicide and Self-Harm in Recent Immigrants in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Study.

Saunders Natasha Ruth NR Chiu Maria M Lebenbaum Michael M Chen Simon S Kurdyak Paul P Guttmann Astrid A Vigod Simone S

Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie 20190624 11

<h4>Objective</h4>To estimate the rates of suicide and self-harm among recent immigrants and to determine which immigrant-specific risk factors are associated with these outcomes.<h4>Methods</h4>Population-based cohort study using linked health administrative data sets (2003 to 2017) in Ontario, Canada which included adults ≥18 years, living in Ontario (<i>N</i> = 9,055,079). The main exposure was immigrant status (long-term resident vs. recent immigrant). Immigrant-specific exposures included v ...[more]

PMID: 31234643

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Dataset Information

Suicide and Self-Harm in Recent Immigrants in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Study.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Suicide and Self-Harm in Recent Immigrants in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Study.

Similar Datasets

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