Rural Perspectives on Suicide Prevention in Canada
Publication: Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
10 May 2023
Abstract
Rural residence has been identified as a risk factor for suicide, especially for men. Little qualitative research exists on rural suicide, which might help deepen understandings of prevention strategies within rural places. Therefore, virtual focus groups were held across six Canadian provinces to give voice to rural community members and service workers about suicide prevention. Barriers to accessing services and the need to strengthen rural support networks were discussed. Enhancing peer support was highlighted as a strategy to better address the needs of rural Canadians.
Résumé
Le fait d’habiter en zone rurale a été identifié comme un facteur de risque de suicide, en particulier chez les hommes. Il existe peu de recherches qualitatives sur le suicide en zone rurale permettant d’approfondir la compréhension de stratégies de prévention. Pour pallier cette carence, des groupes de discussion virtuels ont été organisés dans six provinces canadiennes afin de donner la parole aux membres des communautés rurales et aux intervenants en prévention du suicide. Les obstacles à l’accès aux services et la nécessité de renforcer les réseaux de soutien en milieu rural ont été discutés. L’amélioration du soutien par les pairs a été mise en évidence comme une stratégie visant à mieux répondre aux besoins des Canadiens en zone rurale.
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Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Volume 42 • Number 1 • May 2023
Pages: 1 - 14
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Version of record online: 10 May 2023
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Andrea E. Thomson, Candice Waddell-Henowitch, Rachel Herron, Donna Epp, Kyrra Rauch, Kimberley D. Ryan, and Sharran Mullins. 2023. Rural Perspectives on Suicide Prevention in Canada. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health.
42(1): 1-14. https://doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2023-003
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