Prevalence of suicidal behaviour among indigenous Sami in northern Norway

To summarize knowledge about suicidal behaviour among indigenous Sami living in northern Norway.

This summary is based on data from a register-based follow-up study (Study I) and the North Norwegian Youth Study (Study II)--a longitudinal questionnaire study conducted in 1994-1995 and 1997-1998.

The cohort from Study I included 19,801 persons with Sami ethnic ancestry, 10,573 (53.4%) men and 9228 (46.6%) women. The cross-sectional sample analysed from Study II (1994/1995/T1) included 2691 adolescents (1402 females, 52%, and 1,289 males, 48%) aged 16-18 years.

Study I indicated that there was a significant moderate increased risk for suicide among indigenous Sami (SMR = 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.56) compared to the reference population. In Study II, there were no significant ethnic differences in the prevalence of suicide attempts between Sami adolescents (10.5%) and their non-Sami peers (9.2%).

Although the finding of a moderate significant increased risk of suicide among Sami is consistent with the general findings among Indigenous peoples, the suicide rates found among Sami is moderate compared to several others Indigenous peoples. When it comes to suicide attempts, no ethnic differences in prevalence of suicide attempts were found between Sami adolescents and their non-Sami peers.