Grant: Catalyst Grant: Alcohol research - Specific Population: Other Population/General

Suicide is a leading cause of death in Canada. Despite suicide prevention being a top priority both nationally and internationally, little to no progress has been made in reducing the suicide mortality rate in Canada over the last 20 years; highlighting the need for innovative suicide prevention strategies. Heavy alcohol use and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) have been identified as important risk factors for suicidal behaviour (that is, suicide attempt and death by suicide). Therefore, it is possible that interventions targeting alcohol use may be effective preventive suicide interventions. This notion could be tested via statistical modelling. However, valid gender-specific risk estimates necessary to perform such innovative modelling are absent. In the proposed project, a series of advanced statistical analyses will be performed to determine the gender-specific risk of suicidal behaviour for a) average alcohol volume consumed, b) binge drinking (that is, consuming four or more and five or more standard drinks during a single occasion for women and men, respectively), and c) individuals with an AUD. As such, the proposed project will provide the foundational risk estimates needed to help determine whether population-level (e.g., alcohol control policies) and/or individual-level (e.g., AUD treatment) alcohol intervention strategies may be an effective means of reducing the suicide behaviour burden in Canada.