1 Resident, Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
2 Student Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Can J Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;63(3):178-181. doi: 10.1177/0706743717746663.
To estimate a rate of death by suicide in the Canadian medical student population and examine the prevalence of institutional response policies for suicide.
A survey was sent to all 17 Canadian medical undergraduate programs (MDUPs) to collect information on deaths by suicide over the past 10 years. In the case of a reported suicide, basic demographic data was collected. Respondents were asked to indicate whether internal statistics or response policies for suicide existed at their MDUP.
Responses were obtained from 16 of 17 (94%) MDUPs. Six suicides (50% female) were reported over the ten-year period from 2006 to 2016. The estimated cause-specific mortality rate was 5.9-8.7/100,000 medical students/year. There were seven (44%) MDUPs that kept statistics on student deaths including suicides and 10 (63%) reported having policies or guidelines regarding what to do in the event of a suicide.
Our estimated suicide rate falls within previously reported rates in medical students. While this may be lower than the national rate for Canadians between the ages of 20-30 years old, any suicide in the medical student community must be an impetus for national dialogue and further study. A strategy is needed to better define the prevalence, risk factors for and impact of medical student suicide in Canada.
估算加拿大医学生群体的自杀死亡率，并调查自杀的机构应对政策的流行情况。
向所有 17 所加拿大医学本科课程（MDUP）发送了一份调查，以收集过去 10 年中自杀死亡的信息。在报告自杀的情况下，收集了基本的人口统计数据。要求受访者表明他们的 MDUP 是否存在内部统计数据或自杀应对政策。
从 17 所 MDUP 中获得了 16 所（94%）的回应。在 2006 年至 2016 年的十年间，报告了六起自杀事件（50%为女性）。估计特定原因的死亡率为 5.9-8.7/100,000 医学生/年。有七个（44%）MDUP 对包括自杀在内的学生死亡进行了统计，有 10 个（63%）报告了在发生自杀事件时应采取的政策或指导方针。
我们估计的自杀率在医学生中处于先前报告的范围内。虽然这可能低于 20-30 岁加拿大国民的自杀率，但医学生群体中的任何自杀事件都必须成为全国对话和进一步研究的动力。需要制定一项战略，以更好地确定加拿大医学生自杀的流行率、风险因素和影响。
