{"id":32049,"date":"2017-11-01T09:22:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-01T13:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/?post_type=resource&p=32049"},"modified":"2025-08-18T10:38:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T14:38:27","slug":"injury-prevention-and-suicide","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/injury-prevention-and-suicide\/","title":{"rendered":"Injury prevention and suicide"},"content":{"rendered":"
This resource was published in 2017. The data may be out of date.<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n

What is it?<\/h2>\n

Injury prevention aims to reduce harm and increase safety for individuals, families and communities. There are two types of injury: intentional and unintentional.<\/p>\n

UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES INCLUDE THOSE CAUSED BY:<\/strong>
\u2022 traffic collisions;
\u2022 falls;
\u2022 choking and suffocation; or
\u2022 fires and burns.<\/p>\n

INTENTIONAL INJURY INCLUDES:<\/strong>
\u2022 self-harm;
\u2022 suicide; or
\u2022 domestic violence.<\/p>\n

\"MoreIntentional injuries fundamentally differ from unintentional injuries, because intentional injuries are intended to cause harm, and are directly linked to mental health issues. Self-harming is a way for people with mental health concerns to ease their extreme psychological pain.<\/p>\n

Who is at risk of intentional injury?<\/h2>\n

Anyone can be at risk of intentional injury. Here are some examples of high-risk groups:<\/p>\n

CHILDREN WHO SELF-HARM<\/strong>
Children often harm themselves because of harms done to them. The intention of their self-harming behaviours may not be to die by suicide, but if not treated by a mental health professional, can escalate to suicidal behaviour (Centre for Suicide Prevention, 2014).<\/p>\n

YOUTH WHO ENGAGE IN RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOUR<\/strong>
Youth who harm themselves are at greater risk for suicide and have underlying mental health issues or are trying to escape overwhelming and negative emotions (Klonsky, et al., 2014). Risk-taking behaviours, such as promiscuity, driving while intoxicated, or indulging in substance abuse, often lead to intentional and unintentional injury. Early intervention for youth effectively reduces suicide rates, however youth receive the least mental health assistance of all age groups (Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, 2006). Getting vulnerable youth the medical and psychological attention they need should be a suicide prevention priority both nationally and provincially (Kutcher, 2008).<\/p>\n

YOUNG AND MIDDLE-AGED MEN<\/strong>\"In
Generally, there is a reluctance by men to seek assistance for mental health issues. Men who live with depression and do not seek help may be at increased risk for suicide. This is especially true if there are co-occurring disorders such as substance abuse. Men will often mask their stress and cope with their depression through harmful behaviours and actions (Ogrodniczuk, 2011). Men die by suicide three times more often than women (Statistics Canada, 2014).<\/p>\n

Evidence-based strategies to prevent intentional injuries in Canada<\/h2>\n

1. Reduce Access to Lethal Means<\/strong><\/h3>\n

TO PREVENT DEATH BY HANGING:<\/strong>
\u2022 Redesign closet rods, window fittings and furniture to reduce ligature points.<\/p>\n

TO PREVENT DEATH BY DRUG POISONING:<\/strong>
\u2022 Regulate dosages by reducing pack size of potentially lethal pills.
\u2022 Dispose of unwanted medications properly.
\u2022 Make ongoing recommendations to governments regarding the classification and access of medications
by health professionals and the public where concerns arise.<\/p>\n

TO PREVENT DEATH BY FIREARM:<\/strong>
\u2022 Use locked gun storage.
\u2022 Restrict access to firearms.<\/p>\n

TO PREVENT DEATH BY CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING:<\/strong>
\u2022 Require all cars to have catalytic converters.<\/p>\n

TO PREVENT DEATH BY JUMPING:<\/strong>
\u2022 Post phone number of the local distress centre on bridges and other high places.
\u2022 Construct bridge barriers (Institute for Health Economics, 2010).<\/p>\n

2. Educate<\/h3>\n

Skills-training programs, such as the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) workshop, aim to equip community members with the knowledge and skills to intervene with someone at risk of suicide.<\/p>\n

Case Study: Bridge Barriers<\/h2>\n

Constructing physical barriers on bridges is a highly effective injury and suicide prevention initiative. In the face of opposition, the City of Toronto erected bridge barriers on the Bloor Viaduct. The construction of this suicide barrier allowed the second deadliest suicide bridge in North America to become virtually free of suicides. Some theories suggest that bridge barriers do not deter suicide and that people will look for another means of suicide, however, research has shown that after the installation of the Bloor Viaduct barriers, the overall suicide rate in the city of Toronto decreased. Read More<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RESOURCES: A SELECTION OF CANADIAN INJURY AND SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGIES<\/h2>\n