Suicide Statistics in Australia

NOTE: In the past, the reliability of suicide statistics has been affected by a number of factors including the differences in reporting methods across Australia and delays in the processing of possible suicides by coroners. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has instituted a significant quality assurance process to improve the quality of coding of deaths data. ABS advises that care should be taken in comparing date from 2007 onwards with previous years.

• Suicide is a prominent public health problem in Australia.

• In 2009, 1.5% of all deaths registered were attributed to suicide, which is approximately the same proportion as for 2007 and 2008. There were 2,132 deaths from suicide registered in 2008.

• The age-standardised suicide rate (for persons) in 2009 was 9.7 people per 100,000. This shows a great reduction since the peak in 1997 of 14.3 per 100,000.

• Males comprised 77% of suicide deaths for 2009 (1,633 deaths as compared to 499 deaths for females).

• The age-standardised suicide rate for total males (14.9 per 100 000) in 2009. This is lower than for the previous 2 years but is subject to revision.
  
• The age standardised suicide rate for females in 20098 was 4.5 per 100,000. This is slightly lower than for 2007 and 2008 but is subject to revision.
  

• The highest age-specific suicide death rate for males in 2009 was observed in the 85 plus years age group (28.2 per 100,000) and the lowest was in the 15-19 years age group (9.3 per 100,000).
  

• The highest age-specific suicide death rate for females in 2009 was observed in the 50-54 years age group (8.8 per 100,000) and the lowest in the 15-19 years age group (3.4 per 100,000).
  
• Migrants in Australia show similar suicide rates to those in their country of origin.
  
• Mental illness is a major risk factor for suicide, with psychological autopsy studies showing that up to 90% of people who suicide may have been experiencing a mental disorder at the time of their death.
  
• People in any form of custody have a suicide rate three times higher than the general population.