A systematic review on risk and protective factors for suicide and suicidal behaviour among Greenland Inuit.

Since the 1970s, suicide has been a major public health issue in Greenland. The World Health Organization has emphasised the importance of the identification of both risk and protective factors in relation to suicide. The aim of this paper was to identify scientific literature on risk and protective factors for suicide and suicidal behaviour among Greenland Inuit. Searches in PubMed and PsycInfo resulted in 420 studies that were screened by three of the authors. After screening, the authors included 15 studies that were subject to quality assessment and data extraction. All 15 studies reported on risk factors, and only three mentioned protective factors. Most reported risk factors were on an individual level and were related to socioeconomic status, mental health, alcohol and substance use, and life stress. Risk factors related to the family mainly related to adverse childhood experiences, while the community level concerned access to education, work, and conflicts. The results indicate a large knowledge gap about protective factors for suicide and suicidal behaviour. The few protective factors reported were related to men having a family, high socioeconomic status, and being born between 1901 and 1950.

Going Local to Global through Technology-Needs Assessment and Development of a Virtual Arctic Youth Wellbeing Network.

Strengths-based approaches to suicide prevention and life promotion in circumpolar regions must engage youth participation and leadership given the impact of suicide on this demographic. We describe the development of a youth-engaged community of practice (CoP) across circumpolar regions, and adaptations to the ECHO model as a foundation for this virtual CoP. We describe youth priorities for learning in the area of mental health and wellbeing, identified through a learning needs assessment. A curriculum was developed to address key areas of interest, including: cultural approaches to mental wellbeing; language-based approaches to mental wellbeing; resilience; government and policy; and suicide prevention. We describe steps taken to adapt the ECHO model, and to introduce Indigenous pedagogical and knowledge sharing approaches into the CoP in order to meet youth learning interests. We conclude that this virtual CoP was a feasible way to create a learning community, and suggest that a priority future direction will be to evaluate the impacts of this virtual CoP on youth engagement, satisfaction and learning.