Depression and Suicidal Ideation Among Canadians Aged 15 to 24 /

Data and methods: Data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health (CCHS–MH) were used to describe rates and experiences of depression and suicidal ideation among Canadians aged 15 to 24, including psychosocial characteristics of those who had depression or reported suicidal thoughts. [...] Key words: Mental health conditions, mental health services, social determinants of health, youth According to the 2012 Canadian Community Health As outlined in Anderson’s model of health care service Survey―Mental Health, 15- to 24-year-olds had the use,20 predisposing and enabling socio-demographic factors highest rates of mood and anxiety disorders of all age groups. [...] Adolescence and early adulthood are critical periods in the Associations between depression and suicidal thoughts and the development of mental health.6-8 Risk and protective factors use of professional sources of mental health support are exam- may differentially influence this age group, and rates of depres- ined, with a focus on psychosocial factors such as emotional sion peak during these ages [...] Respondents indi- Depression of depression in the past 12 months cated if they were daily or occasional The CCHS–MH administered five reported the duration and recency of smokers (versus non-smokers) and if modules of the World Mental Health— their worst episode, the number of days they had engaged in moderate or vig- Composite International Diagnostic that they were unable to work or carry orous [...] An estimated 11% of 15- to 24-year-olds analysis (except for non-significance of Those reporting lifetime suicidal had been depressed in their lifetime; 7% age and student status), suggesting that thoughts were more likely to be females had experienced depression in the past even when other socio-demographic and to smoke, and were less likely to be year (Table 1).