The tragedy of becoming tired of living: Youth and young adults’ suicide in Greenland and Denmark

Abstract

Background: Suicide is a tremendous public health issue and worldwide the second leading cause of death among young people. In 2015, Greenland had the highest burden of disease due to self-harm with loss of 2,952.97 disability-adjusted life years per 100,000 inhabitants, more than six times as many as Denmark. Aims: What are possible reasons for Greenland’s higher youth suicide rate compared to Denmark, despite being one kingdom of Denmark? Method: Mixed methods in the form of qualitative, semi-structured interviews, the analysis of available data for 2003–2016 and a literature review were conducted with the aim to answer this question. Results: Several exposures cause this difference, most significantly adverse effects of the colonial past, such as social issues and experienced traumas in Greenland compared to its former coloniser Denmark. Conclusion: The ongoing burden of youth suicide in Greenland requires enhanced actions of all stakeholders involved in suicide prevention, intervention and postvention.