Exploring suicide in Greenland - A scoping review of the literature

Abstract

Background

Suicide is a global public health challenge. High rates are particularly pronounced among Indigenous populations. There is a lack of in-depth knowledge about suicide in Greenland, which is needed to develop relevant suicide prevention and treatment initiatives.

Aim

Aim was to review existing published peer-reviewed and grey literature on suicide in Greenland to inform future policies, research, and interventions.

Methods

A scoping review methodology was applied, following the PRISMA-ScR standard. Searches were made in six databases and through hand-searches for literature published in Danish or English. The Social Ecological Model was used to structure the thematic analysis.

Results

The search yielded 277 sources, with 43 included in the study. While descriptive, quantitative methods were predominant, only two studies used a strict qualitative approach. No studies reported on controlled trials. Following the Social Ecological Model, most articles addressed suicide at the individual level, societal- and relationship levels, whereas the community level was rarely addressed. Most sources reiterated risk factors related to suicide especially within the themes: gender at birth, age, alcohol, sexual abuse, societal transitions, and geographical inequalities. Few sources evaluated previous interventions and explored preventive factors. Little attention was paid to the media's role in suicide prevention.

Conclusions

Findings showed that research has primarily been descriptive, suggesting that qualitative methods would be relevant for future research. An investigation of protective factors and the role and opportunities of the media and social media would be relevant. A limited number of studies applied trial designs, suggesting lack of evidence-based treatment and prevention.