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Suicide mortality gap between Francophones and Anglophones of Quebec, Canada

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Abstract

Purpose

Few studies evaluate language-group differences in suicide mortality. This study assessed the suicide mortality gap between Francophones and Anglophones of Quebec, Canada according to age, sex, method, region and socioeconomic deprivation.

Methods

Suicide decedents were extracted from the Quebec death file for 1989–2007 (N = 24,465). Age- and sex-specific suicide mortality rates were calculated for four periods (1989–1993, 1994–1998, 1999–2003, 2004–2007) for Francophones and Anglophones aged ≥10 years. Age-standardized rates of suicide by method, region, and level of social and material deprivation were calculated for each sex. Rate ratios and rate differences were estimated.

Results

Suicide rates for Francophones were two to three times higher than rates for Anglophones, and differences were greatest for adults aged 25–64 years. Francophone males had more than two times the rate of suicide by hanging or firearms than Anglophone males. Francophone females had twice the rate of hanging, poisoning or firearm suicide as Anglophone females, although precision was low. Francophone-Anglophone suicide mortality gaps were higher in urban areas despite lower suicide rates, and varied little across levels of social and material deprivation.

Conclusions

There was a large suicide mortality gap between Francophones and Anglophones of Quebec; especially, among adults aged 25–64 years.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Montreal Public Health Department, 1301 Sherbrooke Street East, Montreal, QC, H2L 1M3, Canada

    Stephanie Burrows

  2. Research Centre of the University of Montreal Hospital Centre, Montreal, Canada

    Stephanie Burrows & Nathalie Auger

  3. Quebec National Institute of Public Health, Montreal, Canada

    Nathalie Auger, Lum Tamambang & Amadou D. Barry

  4. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada

    Nathalie Auger & Lum Tamambang

Authors
  1. Stephanie Burrows
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  2. Nathalie Auger
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  3. Lum Tamambang
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  4. Amadou D. Barry
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Correspondence to Stephanie Burrows.

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Burrows, S., Auger, N., Tamambang, L. et al. Suicide mortality gap between Francophones and Anglophones of Quebec, Canada. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 48, 1125–1132 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0637-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0637-z

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