Read on Twitter
Have suicides increased in the pandemic?
(also a comment on kids below)
We have data for BC, AB, and SK... so far, and so far, so good. There have been fewer suicides in 2020 than in 2019.
Thank you everyone for the feedback, I've made this a lot cleaner and simpler now!
/1
(also a comment on kids below)
We have data for BC, AB, and SK... so far, and so far, so good. There have been fewer suicides in 2020 than in 2019.
Thank you everyone for the feedback, I've made this a lot cleaner and simpler now!
/1
For people who saw this yesterday, I've changed things to become more confident.
For Alberta, this meant removing November #'s (they seem VERY low in 2020 and I will wait for confirmation). This raised Alberta's rate.
It doesn't change the message.
AB suicides are down.
/2
For Alberta, this meant removing November #'s (they seem VERY low in 2020 and I will wait for confirmation). This raised Alberta's rate.
It doesn't change the message.
AB suicides are down.
/2
The other major change is giving a guess for how much the Saskatchewan number for 2020 may increase. In previous reports, a result reported the next year increases by ~20 suicides when the final count is done.
It doesn't change the message.
SK suicides are down. (by 25-36%)
/3
It doesn't change the message.
SK suicides are down. (by 25-36%)
/3
So far, we have heard from two official examiner groups, one in Quebec (no numbers, just "no change"), and one in Newfoundland and Labrador (same, no numbers, just "no rise")
We await the big province Ontario of course, and for the release of the rest of the year for BC+AB.
/4
We await the big province Ontario of course, and for the release of the rest of the year for BC+AB.
/4
There was some great criticism (improved the whole thing!) yesterday and some... people that just didn't want to read this.
So lets be clear:
**So far...
with the 2020 months reported...
by the coroners that have released data...
there were FEWER suicides in 2020.**
/5
So lets be clear:
**So far...
with the 2020 months reported...
by the coroners that have released data...
there were FEWER suicides in 2020.**
/5
I can neither predict the future nor what is happening in other provinces. But what you will ALWAYS get from me is the most up-to-date, honest, comprehensive data that is published in Canada.
/6
/6
In other big Canadian "distress of the pandemic" news, Statistics Canada released their survey of Canadians indicating their health during the pandemic. There is a delay (October data), but despite being mixed, it's good news.
/7
/7
Wait, you said good news, right? That graph looks really red. It's true. There are a number of Canadians (particularly midlife) indicating significant troubles.
Everyone who is struggling matters, and the most marginalized groups in Canada need the most focus.
/8
Everyone who is struggling matters, and the most marginalized groups in Canada need the most focus.
/8
But "Getting worse" is a strong narrative and the reality is this:
**Most Canadians are reporting their mental health is the same or better since the pandemic.**
/9
**Most Canadians are reporting their mental health is the same or better since the pandemic.**
/9
For anyone in THAT group (same or especially better), reach out to help those around you, stay connected, continue to be charitable and awesome, and let's keep pressuring governments to provide material supports to those that are struggling.
/10
/10
From my point of view, as a Child Psychiatrist, I zero on this!
81.6% of kids say they're doing the "Same or better." As someone who has reviewed youth health surveys for over a decade, this is a very good number.
/11
81.6% of kids say they're doing the "Same or better." As someone who has reviewed youth health surveys for over a decade, this is a very good number.
/11
To emphasize it, though 82% are the same are better, the LEAST likely answer was "worse" (18%). Now, I really want all of those kids to get more support and to find out what we can do, but the narrative that "most kids are doing worse" is not true, if we LISTEN TO KIDS.
/12
/12
So I know there is a strong political rhetoric out there that "kids are suffering and we need to [do something]" I get it. Kids are a great political device. But the data we have actually asks kids directly, and they are saying "most of us are doing the same or better."
/13
/13
or all my sources, check out:
2020 Suicide Database:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xt4C67x-gGwBl6eXU-ZNrZq9oQvwBdwjVHAzR5H7jtI/edit?usp=sharing
Statistics Canada COVID Survey:
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310080601
2020 Suicide Database:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xt4C67x-gGwBl6eXU-ZNrZq9oQvwBdwjVHAzR5H7jtI/edit?usp=sharing
Statistics Canada COVID Survey:
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310080601
