Grant: Project Grant

Suicide is a public health concern in Canada. This lethal choice is not only influenced by personal characteristics, but also related to one's living environment. International evidence showed that living in disadvantaged areas could result in negative health outcomes, which include suicide. However, more evidence is required in the Canadian context. In this study, we would like to understand whether suicide risks among different age groups and sex are higher in more disadvantaged areas in Ontario, and what types of community-level disadvantages are related to suicide. We will also identify suicide clusters in Ontario and examine whether the location of suicide clusters changes over time. Lastly, we will examine the differences in area-level characteristics (unemployment, poverty, social segregation, etc.) between suicide clusters and other areas in Ontario, and whether the profile of suicide cases within and outside the clusters are similar or not. The results will help us identify high-risk areas and understand the needs of these communities. The findings will help different stakeholders such as policymakers to design specific intervention strategies accordingly.