JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Evidence suggests that having a chronic physical illness (CPI) is an independent risk factor for suicidality (suicidal ideation or attempts) among youth. Less is known about the mechanisms linking CPI and suicidality. Some evidence suggests that mental illness mediates or moderates the CPI-suicidality association. Missing from the knowledge base is information on the association between having co-occurring CPI and mental illness or neurodevelopmental disorder (MIND) on youth suicidality.

Objective:

This study uses epidemiological data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey of Children and Youth (CHSCY) to study the intersection of CPI, MIND, and suicidality in youth. We will estimate prevalence, identify predictors, and investigate psychosocial and service use outcomes for youth with CPI-MIND comorbidity vs. other morbidity groups.

Methods:

Conducted by Statistics Canada, the CHSCY collected data from 47,850 children (1-17 years) and their primary caregiving parent. Measures of youth CPI, MIND, family environment, and sociodemographics are available using youth and parent informants. Use of psychiatric services is available via parent report and linkage with national administrative data. Questions about suicidality were restricted to youth 15-17 years (n=6,950), which forms our analytic sample. Weighted regression-based analyses will account for the complex survey design.

Results:

Our study began in November 2023, funded by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (SRG-0-008-22). Initial examination of CHSCY data show that approximately 20% of youth have CPI, 7% have MIND, 7% seriously considered suicide, and 3% attempted suicide in the past year.

Conclusions:

Findings will provide estimates of suicidality among youth with CPI-MIND comorbidity, which will inform intervention planning to prevent loss of life in this vulnerable population. Modelling correlates of suicidality will advance understanding of the relative and joint effects of factors at multiple levels—information needed to target prevention efforts and services. Understanding patterns of psychiatric service use is vital to understanding access and barriers to services. This will inform whether use matches need, identifying opportunities to advise policy makers about upstream resources to prevent suicidality.