Indigenous Youth Suicide

Abstract

A systematic literature review was conducted to (1) assess the degree of methodological rigor present in the literature on Indigenous youth suicide, and (2) to determine the importance of risk and protective factors. Six databases were searched, for peer-reviewed studies of suicide amongst Indigenous populations published between 1996–2009. Of a total of 771 papers initially selected, only 23 studies were deemed to be of sufficient quality to be included in the review. This systematic review highlights the need for additional research on youth suicide among Indigenous populations, and provides insight into how such research can be conducted in a rigorous manner. It also provides details of the risks and protective influences on Indigenous youth suicide