Table 2.
Suicide mortality rates among Indigenous populations by WHO region and country
| WHO Region | Country | Indigenous peoplesa | Population | Period | Deaths | CSIR | SSIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Region | |||||||
| Soininen (2008) [14] | Finland (Northern region) | Sámi | 2091 | 1979–2005 | 24 | 50.0 | – |
| Thorslund (1989) [70] | Greenland | Kalaallit (Inuit) | – | 1986 | 57 | 129 | – |
| Bjerregaard (2015) [12] | Greenland | Kalaallit (Inuit) | 57,000 | 1970–2011 | 1678 | 87.7 | – |
| East/north regions | Kalaallit (Inuit) | – | 1970–2011 | –307 | 187.5 | – | |
| Nuuk | Kalaallit (Inuit) | – | 1970–2011 | –303 | 86.6 | – | |
| Towns in Western region | Kalaallit (Inuit) | – | 1970–2011 | –837 | 81.2 | – | |
| Villages in Western region | Kalaallit (Inuit) | – | 1970–2011 | –222 | 61.4 | – | |
| Klomek (2016) [71] | Israel | Bedouin | – | 1999–2011 | 39 | 4.4 | 3.2 |
| Silviken (2009) [11] | Norway (Northern region) | Sámi | 19,801 | 1970–1998 | 89 | 18.9 | – |
| Sumarokov (2014) [72] | Russia (Nenets Autonomous Okrug) | Nenets | 7504 | 2002–2012 | 67 | 79.8 | 72.7 |
| Hassler (2005) [13] | Sweden | Sámi | 41,721 | 1961–2000 | 114 | 11.7 | – |
| Sámi (non-herding) | – | 1961–2000 | 76 | 9.8 | – | ||
| Sámi (reindeer herding) | – | 1961–2000 | 38 | 19.6 | – | ||
| Western Pacific Region (Australia) | |||||||
| Clayer (1991) [73] | Australia (South Australia) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | 13,298 | 1988 | 14 | 105.3 | – |
| Cantor (1997) [74] | Australia (Queensland) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | – | 1990–1992 | – | – | 17.1 |
| Stevenson (1998) [34] | Australia | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | – | 1990–1992 | 67 | – | 11.1 |
| Bramley (2004) [32] | Australia | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | – | 1999 | – | – | 19.4 |
| De Leo (2011) [4] | Australia (Queensland) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | – | 1994–2007 | 544 | – | 27.2 |
| Measey (2006) [41] | Australia (Northern Territory) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | – | 2002 | – | – | 50.4 |
| Pridmore (2009) [3] | Australia (Northern Territory) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | – | 2001–2006 | 130 | – | 36.7 |
| Campbell (2016) [75] | Australia (Kimberley) | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander | 11,550 | 2005–2014 | 102 | – | 74 |
| Western Pacific Region (Oceania) | |||||||
| Booth (1999) [33] | American Samoa | Samoan | 54,800 | 1990–1991 | – | 18 | – |
| Hezel (1984) [76] | FSM (Chuuk) | Chuukese | 37,488 | 1971–1983 | 129 | 30 | – |
| Hezel (1989) [35] | Federated States of Micronesia | Pacific peoples | 142,298 | 1984–1987 | 134 | 25.8 | – |
| Chuuk | Chuukese | 44,000 | 1984–1987 | 51 | 28.3 | – | |
| Kosrae | Kosraen | 6448 | 1984–1987 | 6 | 25.9 | – | |
| Pohnpei | Pohnpeian | 28,879 | 1984–1987 | 18 | 16.7 | – | |
| Yap | Yapese | 10,139 | 1984–1987 | 5 | 20.2 | – | |
| Booth (1999) [33] | Federated States of Micronesia | Pacific peoples | 105,700 | 1988–1992 | – | 31 | – |
| Chuuk | Chuukese | – | 1988–1992 | – | 35 | – | |
| Kosrae | Kosraen | – | 1988–1992 | – | 48 | – | |
| Pohnpei | Pohnpeian | – | 1988–1992 | – | 20 | – | |
| Yap | Yapese | – | 1988–1992 | – | 48 | – | |
| Ree (1971) [77] | Fiji (Macuata) | iTaukei | 9950 | 1962–1968 | 4 | 5.7 | – |
| Price (1975) [51] | Fiji | iTaukei | – | 1971–1972 | 6 | 1.3 | – |
| Haynes (1984) [78] | Fiji (Macuata) | iTaukei | 8111 | 1979–1982 | 2 | 6.7 | – |
| Pridmore (1994) [79] | Fiji (Western Division) | iTaukei | – | 1986–1992 | – | 2 | – |
| Pridmore (1995) [80] | Fiji | iTaukei | – | 1969–1989 | – | 3.6 | – |
| Booth (1999) [33] | Fiji | iTaukei | – | 1982–1983 | – | 3 | 3 |
| Booth (1999) [33] | French Polynesia | Polynesian | 218,000 | 1988–1992 | – | 9 | 9 |
| Booth (2010) [81] | Guam | Chamorro | – | 1998–2000 | – | 21 | – |
| Hezel (1989) [35] | Marshall Islands | Marshallese | 39,060 | 1984–1987 | 39 | 26.5 | – |
| Booth (1999) [33] | Marshall Islands | Marshallese | 54,700 | 1988–1992 | – | 26 | – |
| Langley (1990) [82] | Aotearoa/New Zealand | Māori | – | 1984 | 22 | – | 8 |
| Langley (2000) [83] | Aotearoa/New Zealand | Māori | – | 1985–1994 | 271 | 8.8 | – |
| Bramley (2004) [32] | Aotearoa/New Zealand | Māori | – | 1999 | – | – | 12.9 |
| Hezel (1989) [35] | Palau | Palauan | 13,772 | 1984–1987 | 15 | 28.8 | – |
| Booth (1999) [33] | Palau | Palauan | 16,500 | 1988–1992 | – | 29 | – |
| Parker (1966) [84] | Papua New Guinea | Pacific peoples | – | 1961–1965 | 41 | 0.7 | – |
| Smith (1981) [50] | Papua New Guinea (Southern Highlands) | Huli | 50,000 | 1971–1976 | 26 | 17 | – |
| Booth (1999) [33] | Papua New Guinea | Pacific peoples | 4,216,100 | 1990 | – | < 1 | – |
| Booth (1999) [33] | Samoa | Samoan | 163,400 | 1981 | – | 31 | 34 |
| Pridmore (1997) [49] | Solomon Islands (Honiara area) | Pacific peoples | 75,000 | 1989–1993 | 13 | 3.9 | – |
| Vivili (1999) [85] | Tonga | Tongan | 98,200 | 1982–1997 | 43 | 2.9 | – |
| Booth (1999) [33] | Vanuatu | ni-Vanuatu | 164,100 | 1990–1992 | – | 3 | – |
| De Leo (2013) [86] | Vanuatu | ni-Vanuatu | 245,619 | 2010 | 2 | 0.8 | – |
| Western Pacific Region (East Asia) | |||||||
| Telisinghe (2014) [40] | Brunei Darussalam | Indigenous peoples (7 tribes)b | 14,000 | 1991–2010 | 4 | 1.7 | – |
| Wang (1997) [87] | China (Hohhot, Inner Mongolia) | Meng | 27,000 | 1986–1991 | – | 2.4 | – |
| Hui | 21,600 | 1986–1991 | – | 1.2 | – | ||
| Lu (2013) [44] | China (Yunnan Province) | Dai | 325,126 | 2004–2005 | – | 12 | – |
| Yi | 582,596 | 2004–2005 | – | 20.8 | – | ||
| Li su | 147,794 | 2004–2005 | – | 50.8 | – | ||
| Other ethnic minorities | 1,922,430 | 2004–2005 | – | 0.96–36.4c | |||
| Ali (2014) [43] | Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) | Bumiputera | 2,981,300 | 2009 | 11 | 0.4 | – |
| Jollant (2014) [42] | Philippines | Palawan | 1192 | 2002–2012 | 16 | 134 | – |
| Cheng (1992) [88] | Taiwan | Atayal | – | 1981–1985 | – | 46.3 | – |
| Ami | – | 1981–1985 | – | 5.3 | – | ||
| Bunun | – | 1981–1985 | – | 64.8 | – | ||
| Paiwan | – | 1981–1985 | – | 16.3 | – | ||
| Hsieh (1994) [89] | Taiwan | Indigenous peoples | 200,000 | 1971–1990 | 1597 | 40.1 | – |
| Atayal | – | 1971–1990 | 928 | 57.6 | – | ||
| Bunun | – | 1971–1990 | 222 | 44.7 | – | ||
| Paiwan | – | 1971–1990 | 204 | 21.3 | – | ||
| Wen (2004) [90] | Taiwan | Indigenous peoples | 200,537 | 1998–2000 | 128 | 21.9 | – |
| Liu (2011) [91] | Taiwan (East region) | Ami | – | 1979–1981 | 30 | 15.6 | – |
| Atayal | – | 1979–1981 | 30 | 68.2 | – | ||
| Region of the Americas (Brazil and Canada) | |||||||
| Coloma (2006) [45] | Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul) | Indigenous peoples (6 tribes)d | 53,325 | 2000–2003 | 194 | 96.2 | – |
| Souza (2013) [46] | Brazil (Amazonas) | Indigenous peoples | 184,764 | 2006–2010 | 131 | – | 18.4 |
| Manaus | Indigenous peoples | – | 2006–2010 | – | 0 | ||
| Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira | Indigenous peoples | – | 2006–2010 | – | 41.9 | ||
| Tabatinga | Indigenous peoples | – | 2006–2010 | – | 75.8 | ||
| Machado (2015) [92] | Brazil | Indigenous peoples | – | 2012 | – | 14.4 | – |
| Orellana (2016) [21] | Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul) | Indigenous peoples (3 tribes)e | 75,000 | 2009–2011 | – | – | 65.2 |
| Butler (1965) [93] | Canada (NWT/Nunavut) | Inuit | 7949 | 1959–1964 | 9 | 18.8 | – |
| NWT | First Nation | 5284 | 1959–1964 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| Yukon | First Nation | 2207 | 1959–1964 | 5 | 37.7 | – | |
| Young (1983) [94] | Canada (Northwestern Ontario) | Cree and Ojibway | 10,000 | 1972–1981 | 17 | 16.1 | – |
| Fox (1984) [95] | Canada (Wikwemikong, Ontario) | Anishinaabe | 3000 | 1976–1980 | – | 26.7 | – |
| Wotton (1985) [96] | Canada (Labrador) | Innu and Inuit | 2500 | 1979–1983 | 8 | 65.5 | – |
| Spaulding (1985) [97] | Canada (Northern Ontario) | Ojibway | 3005 | 1975–1982 | 14 | 61.7 | – |
| Mao (1986) [98] | Canada (7 provinces) | First Nation (on reserve) | 168,529 | 1977–1982 | 344 | 34 | – |
| Ross (1986) [68] | Canada | Cree | 2822 | 1981–1984 | 7 | 83 | – |
| Garro (1988) [99] | Canada (Manitoba) | First Nation (Status Indians) | 43,000 | 1973–1982 | 174 | 40.2 | – |
| Dene | – | 1973–1982 | – | 13 | – | ||
| Ojibway (Northern) | – | 1973–1982 | – | 5 | – | ||
| Cree | – | 1973–1982 | – | 22 | – | ||
| Saulteaux | – | 1973–1982 | – | 48 | – | ||
| Dakota | – | 1973–1982 | – | 80 | – | ||
| Malchy (1997) [100] | Canada (Manitoba) | First Nation and Métis | – | 1988–1994 | 227 | 38 | 31.8 |
| Chandler (1998) [16] | Canada (British Colombia) | First Nation | – | 1987–1992 | 220 | 45.2 | – |
| Isaacs (1998) [101] | Canada (NWT) | Dene | – | 1994–1996 | – | 29 | – |
| NWT/Nunavut | Inuit | – | 1994–1996 | – | 79 | – | |
| Bramley (2004) [32] | Canada | First Nation | – | 1999 | – | – | 27.8 |
| Macaulay (2004) [8] | Canada (Kivalliq, Nunavut) | Inuit | 7131 | 1987–1996 | 31 | – | 45.1 |
| Penney (2009) [102] | Canada (Nunavut) | Inuit | 20,489 | 1999–2003 | – | – | 95.6 |
| Canada (Nunavik) | Inuit | 7628 | 1999–2003 | – | – | 159.8 | |
| Pollock (2016) [30] | Canada (Labrador) | Innu | 1815 | 1993–2009 | 28 | –137.0 | 114 |
| Inuit | 2415 | 1993–2009 | 64 | –186.8 | 165.6 | ||
| Region of the Americas (USA, National) | |||||||
| Ogden (1970) [103] | USA (24 Western states) | American Indian and Alaska Native | 630,000 | 1967 | 94 | 17 | 23.1 |
| Young (1993) [104] | USA (IHSA) | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1979–1981 | – | 18.6 | – |
| Lester (1994) [105] | USA | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1980 | – | 13.3 | – |
| Lester (1995) [106] | USA (48 states) | American Indian and Alaska Native | 984–166,464¶ | 1980 | – | 0.0–64.7f | |
| Stevenson (1998) [34] | USA | American Indian | – | 1990–1992 | 572 | – | 15.5 |
| Bramley (2004) [32] | USA | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1999 | – | – | 12 |
| Howard (2014) [107] | USA | American Indian and Alaska Native | 2,439,419 | 1999–2010 | 4219 | – | 14.2 |
| Herne (2014) [6] | USA (IHSA) | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1999–2009 | 3600 | – | 21.1 |
| Pacific Coast IHSA | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1999–2009 | 532 | – | 18.2 | |
| Southwest IHSA | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1999–2009 | 1066 | – | 19.9 | |
| South Plains IHSA | American Indian & Alaska Native | – | 1999–2009 | 626 | – | 18.7 | |
| North Plains IHSA | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1999–2009 | 755 | – | 26.2 | |
| East IHSA | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1999–2009 | 93 | – | 8.4 | |
| Alaska IHSA | American Indian and Alaska Native | – | 1999–2009 | 528 | – | 42.5 | |
| Region of the Americas (USA, Alaska) | |||||||
| Kraus (1979) [108] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | 56,477 | 1970 | – | 29.6 | – |
| Travis (1983) [109] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | – | 1975–1979 | – | 15.8–52.6g | |
| Travis (1984) [110] | USA (NANA, Alaska) | Inupiat | 7345 | 1974–1980 | – | 106 | – |
| USA (Arctic Slope, Alaska) | Inupiat | – | 1974–1980 | – | 19.2 | – | |
| Hlady (1988) [111] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | – | 1983–1984 | 65 | – | 42.9 |
| Forbes (1988) [112] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | – | 1985 | 47 | 64.9 | 68.8 |
| Kettl (1991) [113] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | – | 1979–1984 | 90 | 23.4 | – |
| Andon (1997) [114] | USA (Alaska) | Athabascan | 6041 | 1977–1987 | 40 | 55.1 | – |
| Marshall (1998) [115] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | 25,000 | 1979–1990 | 186 | 49 | – |
| Yupik | – | 1979–1990 | 103 | 53 | – | ||
| Inupiat | – | 1979–1990 | 60 | 89 | – | ||
| Athabascan | – | 1979–1990 | 23 | 147 | – | ||
| Day (2003) [47] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | 91,300 | 1989–1998 | – | – | 49.7 |
| Day (2009) [116] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | 97,012 | 1999–2003 | 204 | – | 36.1 |
| Wexler (2012) [7] | USA (Northwestern Alaska) | Alaska Native | 7965 | 2001–2009 | 38 | 60 | – |
| Holck (2013) [48] | USA (Alaska) | Alaska Native | 138,312 | 2004–2008 | 252 | – | 42.4 |
| Region of the Americas (USA, Lower 48 States + Hawaii) | |||||||
| Levy (1965) [117] | USA (New Mexico) | Navajo | 87,000 | 1954–1963 | 59 | 8.3 | – |
| Kalish (1968) [118] | USA (Hawai‘i) | Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) | – | 1959–1965 | – | 17.8 | – |
| Other Pacific peoples | – | 1959–1965 | – | 6.8 | – | ||
| Conrad (1974) [119] | USA (Arizona) | Tohono O’odham | 12,179 | 1967–1971 | 10 | – | 18 |
| Shore (1975) [120] | USA (Pacific Northwest) | American Indian | 23,921 | 1969–1971 | 20 | 27.8 | – |
| Sievers (1975) [121] | USA (Arizona) | American Indian | 40,361 | 1971–1973 | 17 | 16.8 | – |
| Apache | – | 1971–1973 | – | 40 | – | ||
| Akimel O’odham | – | 1971–1973 | – | 7 | – | ||
| Other American Indian tribes | – | 1971–1973 | – | 26 | – | ||
| Miller (1979) [122] | USA (Southwest) | American Indian | – | 1977 | – | 57.8 | – |
| Humphrey (1982) [123] | USA (North Carolina) | Cherokee | – | 1974–1976 | – | 31.1 | – |
| Lumbee | – | 1974–1976 | – | 10.3 | – | ||
| Broudy (1983) [124] | USA (Mexico and Arizona) | American Indian | 162,303 | 1975–1977 | – | – | 28.5 |
| Simpson (1983) [125] | USA (Northeastern Arizona) | Hopi | 9406 | 1979–1980 | 5 | 27 | – |
| Levy (1987) [126] | USA (Northern Arizona) | American Indian | 7600 | 1981 | – | 23.7 | – |
| Copeland (1989) [127] | USA (Florida) | American Indian | 11,050 | 1982–1986 | 1 | 11 | – |
| Sievers (1990) [128] | USA (Arizona) | Akimel O’odham | 4915 | 1975–1984 | 26 | 53 | 51 |
| Van Winkle (1993) [15] | USA (New Mexico) | Apache | – | 1980–1987 | 179h | – | 48.8 |
| Navajo | 58,936 | 1980–1987 | – | 18.2 | |||
| Pueblo | – | 1980–1987 | – | 32.2 | |||
| Wissow (2001) [129] | USA (Southwest) | American Indian | 12,000 | 1985–1996 | – | 30.7 | 24.6 |
| Mullany (2009) [130] | USA (Arizona) | White Mountain Apache | 15,500 | 2001–2006 | 41 | 45.5 | 40 |
| Martin (2010) [131] | USA (North Carolina) | American Indian | – | 2004–2007 | 39 | 8.5 | – |
| Christensen (2013) [132] | USA (South Dakota) | American Indian | 82,073 | 2000–2010 | 236 | 29 | 28 |
WHO World Health Organization, CSIR crude suicide incidence rate, SSIR standardized suicide incidence rate, FSM Federated States of Micronesia, NWT Northwest Territories, IHSA Indian Health Services Area
Standardized rates were adjusted with various populations; therefore they are not directly comparable. Population n are based on reported estimates in each article, but may not reflect denominators used to calculate incidence
aGeneral terms such as Indigenous, Pacific Peoples, or First Nation were used when a specific nation or tribe was not identifiable
bIndigenous tribes in Brunei Darussalam included Kedayan, Belait, Tutong, Bisya, Murut, Dusun, and Iban
cRate range for 10 ethnic minority groups in Yunnan Province, China: Hui, Ha ni, A chang, Pumi, Bai, Yao, Zhuang, Miao, Meng gu, and Jing po minorities
dIndigenous tribes in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil included Kadiwe’u, Guato, Ofaie ´-Xavante, Guarani-Kaiowá, Guarani-Ñandeva, and Terena
eIndigenous tribes included Guarani-Kaiowá, Guarani-Ñandeva, and Terena
fPopulation and rate range included 48 states
gRate range for 9 Native regional corporations in Northwest Alaska: Athna, Bering Straits, Bristol Bay, Calista, Chugach, Cook Inlet, Doyon, Koniag, and Sealaska (NANA and Arctic Slope not extracted due to duplicate data with Travis, 1984 [110])
hTotal number of deaths for Apache, Navajo, and Pueblo populations combined