Setting a lived experience agenda for rural suicidality research in Canada.

INTRODUCTION: The perspectives of rural communities, specifically people with lived experience of suicidality and suicide loss in rural places, are often neglected in suicide research. It is critical that rural and remote health researchers acquire a deeper understanding of suicidality in rural Canadian communities for generation of relevant knowledge to better inform the development of suicide prevention, intervention and postvention solutions. This article presents research findings of how rural residents understand their community values, what information gaps they identify in relation to current suicide research, and how research can be mobilized to reach rural communities. METHOD: Researchers conducted six virtual focus groups with 47 participants from the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador between March and May 2021. All focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Focus group findings revealed the need for research that recognizes the significance of rural culture, the sense of community experienced and the ways in which they shape rural suicide experiences with associated impacts of suicide. Participatory, community-based action research methods are required to examine the interplay between rural residence, community, and suicide. In addition, the voices of rural people with lived experience of suicide are absent in the research literature. The need exists for qualitative research conducted for the purpose of investigating the lived experience of rural suicidality. CONCLUSION: Research participants asked that a lived experience agenda be prioritized to include the voices and stories of rural people, with consideration of rural culture, an aspect of rural suicidality currently not evident in Canadian research literature.

Death education for children and young people in public schools.

BACKGROUND: Conversations about death are often associated with fear, anxiety, avoidance and misunderstandings. Many adults feel that these discussions are inappropriate and confusing for young people. In this project, two fourth-year nursing students partnered with a local palliative care team to examine death education for children. The nursing students focused on children's understandings of death and their coping abilities, the lack of appropriate discussions about death with children, and the implementation of death education in public schools. Three online death education resources were identified and evaluated for use in public schools. This project fueled preliminary local discussions and advocacy efforts in the provision of death education for children. In the future, death education will need to be incorporated into education plans at local schools, and could be done in collaboration with the local palliative care team.

Rural diabetes education: does it make a difference?

This cross-sectional study using a mailed survey evaluated outcomes of diabetes education, care, and support provided at 2 clinics in rural Manitoba, Canada. Seventy-eight respondents with type 2 diabetes, including 51 rural clinic attenders and 27 non-attenders (mean age = 68.5), were compared regarding demographic characteristics; diabetes education and knowledge; diabetes self-management efficacy, attitudes, and behaviours; quality of life; satisfaction with care; and health-care utilization. Attenders had more diabetes education (P < .001), higher self-management efficacy scores (P < .051), and greater satisfaction with diabetes care (P < .001) than non attenders, but more education did not translate into greater diabetes-related knowledge, attitudes, or behaviours. While clinic attendance and supportive interaction with health professionals and peers may help equip people with type 2 diabetes with the confidence and alternative strategies to handle diabetes-related health problems, a more standard approach to diabetes education and care could improve the achievement of desired outcomes.