Teen suicide rates in Canada similar to US despite universal health care

A new study on teen depression and suicide has found that while young Canadian women tend to experience depression and thoughts of suicide more than men, the men are more likely to act on their thoughts.

The study was compiled by psychiatrists at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto and found links between “suicidality” and age, income levels and where a teen lives in Canada.

The study objective was to explore whether depression and suicide rates among Canadian teenagers were any different than those in the US, given Canada’s universal health-care system, according to study author Amy Cheung.

Cheung said, “Adolescents are very likely to experiences depression during their teenage years, and if you go to a classroom of 30 kids, you’ll find two or three may have experienced depression previously or are currently experiencing depressive symptoms. A majority of these kids are not treated for depression, and depression itself can have a significant impact on their functioning in school and can be a big cause of disability and burden in the family.”

Young men in British Columbia had the highest attempted suicide rate, while those in Quebec reported the highest depression rate. Nearly 25% of the young women from B.C. who participated in the study reported having suicidal thoughts.

As well, the study found that suicidality rates in Canada are not so different from those found in the US, despite the fact that universal health coverage in Canada gives its citizens better healthcare access.

“Since suicidality is frequently a consequence of untreated depression, it is noteworthy that rates of suicidality in Canada are comparable to the US in spite of the universal health insurance coverage that gives Canadians access to needed health care,” the study reported.

“This raises questions about the barriers to access to mental health services and the effectiveness of the Canadian healthcare system in addressing the mental health needs of our adolescents.”

Experts say the results indicate a need for school programs to better educate teachers about depression and suicide, which is the second leading cause of death among Canadian adolescents.

Dr. Catherine Renaud suggested teachers and counselors should be educated so they can help physicians detect the signs of depression.
“The problem is that youth don’t talk about their depressive moods to their physicians,” Renaud said. “A drop in grades, difficulties with other peers and participating in fewer social activities are signs of depression.”

The study found the highest rate of depression in Quebec, followed closely by the Prairies and British Columbia in the West of the country.

Over half of all adolescents who commit suicide have experienced a form of depression.

SOURCES: Cheung A, Renaud C, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, CANADA.

© Copyright 2007 Insight Journal Online Magazine.

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Adolescent Depression from the National Institute of Health
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