HSC Foundation is proud to be involved in the creation of an Endowed Chair in Aboriginal Mental Health at Health Sciences Centre. The first of its kind in the world!

Did you know…?

• Thirty percent of First Nations people have felt sad or depressed for two or more weeks. (First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey, 2005)

• Suicide and self-inflicted injuries are the leading causes of death for First Nations youth and adults up to 44 years of age. (A Statistical Profile on the Health of First Nations in Canada for the Year 2000, Health Canada, 2003)

• First Nations youth commit suicide about five to six times more often than non-Aboriginal youth.

• The suicide rate for First Nations males is 126 per 100,000 compared to 24 per 100,000 for non-Aboriginal males.
• For First Nations females, the suicide rate is 35 per 100,000 compared to only 5 per 100,000 for non-Aboriginal females. (Canadian Institute of Child Health, 2000)

• Suicide rates for Inuit youth are among the highest in the world, at 11 times the national average

Contact the HSC Foundation at (204) 787-2022 for details