Spirituality and attempted suicide among American Indians (a .pdf file)

"Study suggests that American Indians with strong levels of cultural spiritual orientations have relatively lower rates of self-reported, attempted suicide. It also highlights the need to develop culturally relevant spirituality measures in American Indian populations that go beyond the indicators used for Judeo-Christian faiths. The Cultural Spiritual Orientations Scale represents a first step in that direction." - - - - - - - RESEARCH Chandler, M. J. & Lalonde, C. E. (in press). Cultural continuity as a moderator of suicide risk among Canada's First Nations .pdf file Kirmayer, L. & Valaskakis, G. (Eds.). The Mental Health of Canadian Aboriginal Peoples: Transformations, Identity, and Community. University of British Columbia Press. Lalonde, C. E. (2006). Identity Formation and Cultural Resilience in Aboriginal Communities. .pdf file In Flynn, R.J., Dudding, P., & Barber, J. (Eds.), Promoting Resilience in Child Welfare. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press. Lalonde, C.E. (2005). Creating an Index of Healthy Aboriginal Communities. Developing a Healthy Communities Index: A collection of papers .pdf file, (pp. 21-27). Report prepared for the Canadian Population Health Initiative, Canadian Institute for Health Information. Lalonde, C.E., Kinew, K., & Yates, R. (2005). Place & Health in First Nations Communities. In Kachimaa Mawiin Maybe for Sure: Finding a Place for Place in Health Research and Policy. .pdf file Proceedings of Place and Health: Research to Policy Workshop. Canadian Population Health Initiative. Lalonde, C. E., & Chandler, M. J., (2004). Culture, Selves, and Time: Theories of Personal Persistence in Native and non-Native Youth. .pdf file In C. Lightfoot, C. Lalonde and M. Chandler (Eds.). Changing Conceptions of Psychological Life (pp. 207-229). Mahwah, NJ: Laurence Erlbaum & Associates. Chandler, M. J., & Lalonde, C. E. (2004). Transferring Whose Knowledge? Exchanging Whose Best Practices?: On Knowing About Indigenous Knowledge and Aboriginal Suicide. .pdf file To appear in D. Beavon and J. White (Eds.) Aboriginal Policy Research. London, ON: Althouse Press. Chandler, M. J., Lalonde, C. E., & Teucher, U. (2004). Culture, continuity, and the limits of narrativity: A comparison of the self-narratives of Native and Non-Native youth. .pdf file In C. Daiute and C. Lightfoot (Eds.), Narrative Analysis: Studying the Development of Individuals in Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Chandler, M. J., Lalonde, C. E., Sokol, B., & Hallett, D. (2003). Personal Persistence, Identity Development, and Suicide: A Study of Native and Non-Native North American Adolescents. .pdf file Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, Vol. 68, No. 2,Serial No. 273. Chandler, M.J. & Lalonde, C.E. (1998). Cultural Continuity as a hedge against suicide in Canada's First Nations .pdf file Transcultural Psychiatry, 35(2), 193-211. Save Culture! Save Lives! - - - - - - - You are Invited to Donate or Advertise Here to Support this independent, Aboriginal - Owned and Operated news and information network. Your support can help us continue to operate Turtle Island Native Network. Your contribution is appreciated. You or your group will be profiled here as a donor or sponsor. Please Send Your Cheque or Money Order Payable to: Bob Kennedy 22-1976 Glenidle Road Sooke, British Columbia, CANADA V0S1N0 - - - - - - - Preventing Youth Suicide First Nation Communities - - - - - - - SUICIDE AMONG ABORIGINAL PEOPLE: ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT 1995 - - - - - - - Centre for Suicide Prevention Suicide Prevention Resources Girls and Boys Town Hotline at 1-800-448-3000 Kids Help Line in Canada at 1-800-668-6868 January 9, 2003 - Young Aboriginal men in Northern British Columbia are reported to be among the highest number of those who take their own lives, according to the province's northern region coroner. Dave Coverdale says more people kill themselves each year than die in car crashes and says that it's time for communities to take action. Hanging, poison, and guns are the most common ways of committing suicide. Approximately 80 per cent of all gun deaths are suicides. Most of the victims are men, and many of them are young aboriginal men from northern B.C. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15 - 24. Overall, Aboriginal suicide rates are typically higher than the rate for the general population. Advisory Group Aboriginal Suicide Prevention The following text is from Aboriginal Peoples and the Criminal Justice System Part III: SOCIAL, ECONOMICAL AND POLITICAL FACTORS Canadian Criminal Justice Association Suicide is a significant concern in many Aboriginal communities, is two to three times more common among Aboriginal peoples and is also five to six times more prevalent among Aboriginal youth than non-Aboriginal youth. According to Aboriginal tradition, suicide was rare in Pre-colonialism times because it was viewed as unacceptable. Those who did commit suicide were generally the sick or elderly who felt they could no longer contribute to their community and their deaths were perceived as acts of self-sacrifice. In First Nations communities today, suicide is more common among the young and usually results from feelings of hopelessness and despair. The following factors are often linked to suicide: continuous family disruptions and instability family history of mental health problems alcohol and/or drug abuse physical and/or sexual abuse, and extended periods of grief Choosing Life: Special Report on Suicide Among Aboriginal People - - - Suicide rates, already five to six times higher among Aboriginal youth than their non-Aboriginal peers, could increase dramatically over the next 10 to 15 years if action isn't taken now. Changing demographics mean that the population bulge of children, now under 15 years of age, will soon pass through the vulnerable years of young adulthood. In this special report, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples calls for a 10-year Canada-wide campaign to reduce the prevalence of suicide and self-injury. The report states that communities hold the keys to change Suicide Prevention With One Voice A musical drama-suicide prevention/crisis intervention program for schools, families, communities & conventions dealing w/ child abuse, drug abuse, depression, eating disorders, rape and other related issues that sometimes leads an individual to the dangerous considerations of suicide. Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program Program for the prevention of teen suicide Youth Suicide Prevention Program dedicated to reducing youth suicide and suicidal behaviors in Washington State. Promotes youth voice, youth-generated media messages, peer advocacy. Provides resources for youth and those who work with youth 15-24 yrs of age. Australia's National Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy Communications Project A national government funded project to address the information and communication needs of those involved in youth suicide prevention. Canadian Association For Suicide Prevention (CASP) A Canadian nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. LivingWorks Education The mission of LivingWorks Education is to create learning experiences that help communities prevent suicide. National Strategy for Suicide Prevention The CMHS National Stategy for Suicide Prevention website provides information for mental health professionals, health care providers, community coalitions, policymakers, survivors, and advocates. SA\VE - Suicide Awareness \ Voices of Education The mission of SA\VE is to educate about suicide prevention and to speak for suicide survivors. Suicide Information & Education Centre (SIEC) A special library and resource centre providing information on suicide and suicidal behaviour. Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network advocates a proven, effective suicide prevention program. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to advancing our knowledge of suicide and our ability to prevent it. American Association of Suicidology A nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. The NIMH Suicide Research Consortium FAQ's, statistics, abstracts, and articles on suicide in the United States. Risk factors for suicide: Biopsychosocial risk factors: - Mental disorders, particularly mood disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and certain personality disorders - Alcohol and other substance use disorders - Hopelessness - Impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies - History of trauma or abuse - Some major physical illnesses - Previous suicide attempt - Family history of suicide Environmental risk factors: - Job or financial loss - Relationship or social loss - Easy access to lethal means - Local clusters of suicide that have a contagious influence Sociocultural risk factors: - Lack of social support and sense of isolation - Stigma associated with help-seeking behavior - Barriers to accessing health care, especially mental health and substance abuse treatment - Certain cultural and religious beliefs (for instance, the belief that suicide is a noble resolution of a personal dilemma) - Exposure to and influence of others who have died by suicide, including exposure through the media Protective factors for suicide: - Effective clinical care for mental, physical, and substance use disorders - Easy access to a variety of clinical interventions and support for seeking help - Restricted access to highly lethal means of suicide - Strong connections to family and community support - Support through ongoing medical and mental health care relationships - Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution, and nonviolent handling of disputes - Cultural and religious beliefs that discourage suicide and support self-preservation For more information or to seek help for yourself or a friend with suicidal tendencies call 1-800-273-TALK, or go to Suicide Prevention Lifeline South Dakota Department of Health Front Page | Discussion | Education | News | Healing and Wellness Contact | Resources | Communities | Business | Culture Legal Notice © All contents are copyright 1998 - 2008 No material from this site may be reproduced, modified, republished, transmitted or distributed in any way without the owner's prior approval. 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