Table 1.
Suicide deaths and rate (per 100 000) across different groups in Australia (1986–2005)
| Population group | Age group |
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15–34 |
35–54 |
55–74 |
75 and over |
All ages |
|||||||||||
| Cases | Rate | Rate ratio (95% CI) | Cases | Rate | Rate ratio (95% CI) | Cases | Rate | Rate ratio (95% CI) | Cases | Rate | Rate ratio (95% CI) | Cases | Rate | Rate ratio (95% CI) | |
| By sex | |||||||||||||||
| Male | 15 059 | 28.29 | 2.23 (2.19 to 2.27) | 12 672 | 25.61 | 2.02 (1.98 to 2.06) | 5986 | 22.35 | 1.77 (1.72 to 1.81) | 2091 | 30.98 | 2.45 (2.34 to 2.56) | 35 942 | 20.32 | 1.61 (1.58 to 1.63) |
| Female | 3242 | 6.12 | 0.48 (0.47 to 0.50) | 3556 | 7.14 | 0.56 (0.55 to 0.58) | 1818 | 6.48 | 0.51 (0.49 to 0.54) | 682 | 6.14 | 0.49 (0.45 to 0.52) | 9351 | 5.17 | 0.41 (0.40 to 0.42) |
| By region | |||||||||||||||
| Capital cities | 11 267 | 16.28 | 1.29 (1.26 to 1.31) | 9736 | 15.68 | 1.24 (1.21 to 1.27) | 4568 | 14.21 | 1.12 (1.09 to 1.16) | 1674 | 15.45 | 1.22 (1.16 to 1.28) | 27 332 | 12.32 | 0.97 (0.96 to 0.99) |
| Regional centres | 3423 | 17.57 | 1.39 (1.34 to 1.44) | 3269 | 17.72 | 1.40 (1.35 to 1.45) | 1550 | 13.65 | 1.03 (1.03 to 1.14) | 584 | 15.96 | 1.26 (1.16 to 1.37) | 8869 | 12.86 | 1.02 (1.00 to 1.04) |
| Rural and remote areas | 3611 | 20.58 | 1.63 (1.57 to 1.68) | 3223 | 17.23 | 1.36 (1.31 to 1.41) | 1686 | 14.88 | 1.18 (1.12 to 1.23) | 515 | 15.37 | 1.21 (1.11 to 1.32) | 9092 | 13.55 | 1.07 (1.05 to 1.09) |
| By methods | |||||||||||||||
| Firearms and other explosives | 2795 | 2.63 | 0.21 (0.20 to 0.22) | 2285 | 2.30 | 0.18 (0.18 to 0.19) | 1674 | 3.05 | 0.24 (0.23 to 0.25) | 556 | 3.11 | 0.25 (0.23 to 0.27) | 7348 | 2.07 | 0.16 (0.16 to 0.17) |
| Gases and vapours | 3457 | 3.25 | 0.26 (0.25 to 0.27) | 4104 | 4.13 | 0.33 (0.32 to 0.34) | 1277 | 2.33 | 0.18 (0.17 to 0.20) | 375 | 2.10 | 0.17 (0.15 to 0.18) | 9214 | 2.60 | 0.20 (0.20 to 0.21) |
| Hanging | 7366 | 6.93 | 0.55 (0.54 to 0.56) | 4927 | 4.96 | 0.39 (0.38 to 0.41) | 2301 | 4.20 | 0.33 (0.32 to 0.35) | 901 | 5.05 | 0.40 (0.37 to 0.43) | 15 620 | 4.40 | 0.35 (0.34 to 0.35) |
| Solid or liquid substances | 2166 | 2.04 | 0.16 (0.16 to 0.17) | 2863 | 2.88 | 0.23 (0.22 to 0.24) | 1333 | 2.43 | 0.19 (0.18 to 0.20) | 434 | 2.43 | 0.19 (0.18 to 0.21) | 6807 | 1.92 | 0.15 (0.15 to 0.15) |
| Other | 2517 | 1.26 | 0.19 (0.18 to 0.20) | 2049 | 2.06 | 0.16 (0.16 to 0.17) | 1219 | 2.22 | 0.18 (0.17 to 0.19) | 507 | 2.84 | 0.23 (0.21 to 0.25) | 6294 | 1.78 | 0.14 (0.14 to 0.14) |
| By region and by sex | |||||||||||||||
| Male | |||||||||||||||
| Capital cities | 9072 | 26.66 | 2.08 (2.03 to 2.13) | 7439 | 24.59 | 1.92 (1.87 to 1.97) | 3358 | 21.86 | 1.71 (1.65 to 1.77) | 1179 | 30.02 | 2.35 (2.22 to 2.49) | 21 107 | 19.63 | 1.53 (1.51 to 1.56) |
| Regional centres | 2868 | 29.90 | 2.33 (2.25 to 2.42) | 2593 | 28.60 | 2.23 (2.15 to 2.32) | 1213 | 22.21 | 1.74 (1.64 to 1.84) | 468 | 32.80 | 2.57 (2.35 to 2.81) | 7173 | 21.39 | 1.67 (1.63 to 1.71) |
| Rural/remote areas | 3119 | 32.46 | 2.72 (2.62 to 2.82) | 2640 | 25.99 | 2.16 (2.08 to 2.24) | 1415 | 23.73 | 1.94 (1.84 to 2.04) | 444 | 31.82 | 2.60 (2.37 to 2.85) | 7662 | 21.39 | 1.77 (1.73 to 1.82) |
| Female | |||||||||||||||
| Capital cities | 2195 | 6.40 | 0.50 (0.48 to 0.52) | 2297 | 7.39 | 0.58 (0.55 to 0.60) | 1210 | 7.33 | 0.57 (0.54 to 0.61) | 495 | 7.26 | 0.57 (0.52 to 0.62) | 6225 | 5.58 | 0.44 (0.42 to 0.45) |
| Regional centres | 555 | 5.75 | 0.45 (0.42 to 0.49) | 676 | 7.37 | 0.58 (0.53 to 0.62) | 337 | 5.83 | 0.46 (0.41 to 0.51) | 116 | 5.27 | 0.41 (0.34 to 0.50) | 1696 | 4.91 | 0.38 (0.37 to 0.40) |
| Rural/remote areas | 492 | 5.43 | 0.43 (0.39 to 0.47) | 583 | 6.12 | 0.51 (0.47 to 0.55) | 271 | 4.71 | 0.39 (0.34 to 0.43) | 71 | 3.41 | 0.28 (0.22 to 0.35) | 1430 | 4.13 | 0.34 (0.33 to 0.36) |
| By methods and by region | |||||||||||||||
| Capital cities | |||||||||||||||
| Firearms and other explosives | 1148 | 1.66 | 0.13 (0.12 to 0.14) | 913 | 1.47 | 0.12 (0.11 to 0.12) | 626 | 1.95 | 0.15 (0.14 to 0.17) | 211 | 1.95 | 0.16 (0.14 to 0.18) | 2908 | 1.31 | 0.10 (0.10 to 0.11) |
| Gases and vapours | 2299 | 3.32 | 0.26 (0.25 to 0.27) | 2420 | 3.90 | 0.31 (0.30 to 0.32) | 732 | 2.28 | 0.18 (0.17 to 0.19) | 222 | 2.05 | 0.16 (0.14 to 0.19) | 5674 | 2.56 | 0.20 (0.20 to 0.21) |
| Hanging | 4339 | 6.27 | 0.50 (0.48 to 0.51) | 3017 | 4.86 | 0.38 (0.37 to 0.40) | 1470 | 4.57 | 0.36 (0.34 to 0.38) | 591 | 5.45 | 0.43 (0.40 to 0.47) | 9478 | 4.27 | 0.30 (0.30 to 0.31) |
| Solid or liquid substances | 1547 | 2.24 | 0.18 (0.17 to 0.19) | 1864 | 3.00 | 0.24 (0.23 to 0.25) | 901 | 2.80 | 0.22 (0.21 to 0.24) | 284 | 2.62 | 0.21 (0.19 to 0.23) | 4600 | 2.07 | 0.16 (0.16 to 0.17) |
| Other | 1934 | 2.79 | 0.22 (0.21 to 0.23) | 1522 | 2.45 | 0.19 (0.18 to 0.20) | 839 | 2.61 | 0.21 (0.19 to 0.22) | 366 | 3.38 | 0.27 (0.24 to 0.30) | 4672 | 2.11 | 0.17 (0.16 to 0.17) |
| Regional centres | |||||||||||||||
| Firearms and other explosives | 603 | 3.09 | 0.25 (0.23 to 0.27) | 495 | 2.68 | 0.21 (0.20 to 0.23) | 368 | 3.24 | 0.26 (0.23 to 0.28) | 131 | 3.58 | 0.28 (0.24 to 0.33) | 1606 | 2.33 | 0.19 (0.18 to 0.19) |
| Gases and vapours | 631 | 3.24 | 0.26 (0.24 to 0.28) | 861 | 4.67 | 0.37 (0.35 to 0.40) | 275 | 2.42 | 0.19 (0.17 to 0.22) | 91 | 2.49 | 0.20 (0.16 to 0.24) | 1858 | 2.70 | 0.21 (0.20 to 0.22) |
| Hanging | 1502 | 7.71 | 0.61 (0.58 to 0.64) | 1026 | 5.56 | 0.44 (0.41 to 0.47) | 456 | 4.02 | 0.32 (0.29 to 0.35) | 187 | 5.11 | 0.40 (0.35 to 0.46) | 3200 | 4.65 | 0.37 (0.36 to 0.38) |
| Solid or liquid substances | 344 | 1.77 | 0.14 (0.13 to 0.16) | 570 | 3.09 | 0.25 (0.23 to 0.27) | 258 | 2.27 | 0.18 (0.16 to 0.20) | 92 | 2.51 | 0.20 (0.16 to 0.24) | 1268 | 1.84 | 0.15 (0.14 to 0.15) |
| Other | 343 | 1.76 | 0.14 (0.13 to 0.16) | 317 | 1.72 | 0.14 (0.12 to 0.15) | 193 | 1.70 | 0.14 (0.12 to 0.16) | 83 | 2.27 | 0.18 (0.15 to 0.22) | 937 | 1.36 | 0.11 (0.10 to 0.12) |
| Rural/remote areas | |||||||||||||||
| Firearms and other explosives | 1044 | 5.95 | 0.47 (0.44 to 0.50) | 877 | 4.69 | 0.37 (0.35 to 0.40) | 680 | 6.00 | 0.48 (0.44 to 0.51) | 214 | 6.39 | 0.51 (0.44 to 0.52) | 2834 | 4.22 | 0.33 (0.32 to 0.35) |
| Gases and vapours | 527 | 3.00 | 0.24 (0.22 to 0.26) | 823 | 4.40 | 0.35 (0.33 to 0.37) | 270 | 2.38 | 0.19 (0.17 to 0.21) | 62 | 1.85 | 0.15 (0.11 to 0.19) | 1682 | 2.51 | 0.20 (0.19 to 0.21) |
| Hanging | 1525 | 8.69 | 0.69 (0.65 to 0.72) | 884 | 4.73 | 0.37 (0.35 to 0.40) | 375 | 3.31 | 0.26 (0.24 to 0.29) | 123 | 3.67 | 0.29 (0.24 to 0.35) | 2942 | 4.38 | 0.35 (0.33 to 0.36) |
| Solid or liquid substances | 275 | 1.57 | 0.12 (0.11 to 0.14) | 429 | 2.29 | 0.18 (0.17 to 0.20) | 174 | 1.54 | 0.12 (0.11 to 0.14) | 58 | 1.73 | 0.14 (0.11 to 0.18) | 939 | 1.40 | 0.11 (0.10 to 0.12) |
| Other | 240 | 1.37 | 0.11 (0.10 to 0.12) | 210 | 1.12 | 0.09 (0.08 to 0.10) | 187 | 1.65 | 0.13 (0.11 to 0.15) | 58 | 1.73 | 0.14 (0.11 to 0.18) | 695 | 1.04 | 0.08 (0.08 to 0.09) |
| By methods and by sex | |||||||||||||||
| Male | |||||||||||||||
| Firearms and other explosives | 2555 | 4.80 | 0.38 (0.37 to 0.40) | 2123 | 4.29 | 0.34 (0.33 to 0.36) | 1605 | 5.99 | 0.48 (0.45 to 0.50) | 551 | 8.16 | 0.65 (0.60 to 0.70) | 6869 | 3.88 | 0.31 (0.30 to 0.32) |
| Gases and vapours | 2961 | 5.56 | 0.44 (0.42 to 0.46) | 3428 | 6.93 | 0.55 (0.53 to 0.57) | 1091 | 4.07 | 0.32 (0.30 to 0.34) | 324 | 4.80 | 0.38 (0.34 to 0.43) | 7805 | 4.41 | 0.35 (0.34 to 0.36) |
| Hanging | 6267 | 11.77 | 0.93 (0.91 to 0.96) | 4115 | 8.32 | 0.66 (0.64 to 0.68) | 1821 | 6.80 | 0.54 (0.51 to 0.56) | 670 | 9.93 | 0.79 (0.73 to 0.85) | 12 963 | 7.33 | 0.58 (0.57 to 0.59) |
| Solid or liquid substances | 1301 | 2.44 | 0.19 (0.18 to 0.20) | 1573 | 3.18 | 0.25 (0.24 to 0.27) | 671 | 2.51 | 0.20 (0.18 to 0.21) | 198 | 2.93 | 0.23 (0.20 to 0.27) | 3746 | 2.12 | 0.17 (0.16 to 0.17) |
| Other | 1975 | 3.72 | 0.29 (0.28 to 0.31) | 1433 | 2.89 | 0.23 (0.22 to 0.24) | 798 | 2.98 | 0.24 (0.22 to 0.25) | 348 | 5.16 | 0.41 (0.37 to 0.46) | 4559 | 2.58 | 0.20 (0.20 to 0.21) |
| Female | |||||||||||||||
| Firearms and other explosives | 240 | 0.45 | 0.04 (0.03 to 0.04) | 162 | 0.33 | 0.03 (0.02 to 0.03) | 69 | 0.25 | 0.02 (0.02 to 0.03) | 5 | 0.05 | 0.00 (0.00 to 0.01) | 479 | 0.26 | 0.02 (0.02 to 0.02) |
| Gases and vapours | 496 | 0.94 | 0.07 (0.07 to 0.08) | 676 | 1.36 | 0.11 (0.10 to 0.12) | 186 | 0.66 | 0.05 (0.05 to 0.06) | 51 | 0.46 | 0.04 (0.03 to 0.05) | 1409 | 0.78 | 0.06 (0.06 to 0.07) |
| Hanging | 1099 | 2.07 | 0.16 (0.15 to 0.17) | 812 | 1.63 | 0.12 (0.11 to 0.13) | 480 | 1.71 | 0.14 (0.12 to 0.15) | 231 | 2.08 | 0.17 (0.15 to 0.19) | 2657 | 1.47 | 0.12 (0.11 to 0.12) |
| Solid or liquid substances | 865 | 1.63 | 0.13 (0.12 to 0.14) | 1290 | 2.59 | 0.21 (0.19 to 0.22) | 662 | 2.36 | 0.19 (0.17 to 0.20) | 236 | 2.13 | 0.17 (0.15 to 0.19) | 3061 | 1.69 | 0.13 (0.13 to 0.14) |
| Other | 542 | 1.03 | 0.08 (0.07 to 0.09) | 616 | 1.23 | 0.10 (0.09 to 0.11) | 421 | 1.50 | 0.12 (0.11 to 0.13) | 163 | 1.42 | 0.12 (0.10 to 0.14) | 1745 | 0.97 | 0.08 (0.07 to 0.08) |
| Total suicide | 18 301 | 17.23 | 1.36 (1.34 to 1.38) | 16 228 | 16.35 | 1.29 (1.27 to 1.32) | 7804 | 14.23 | 1.12 (1.10 to 1.15) | 2773 | 15.54 | 1.23 (1.18 to 1.28) | 45 293 | 12.66 | |
Population size (all and by groups) was based on the mean value of the Australian population census (1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006). Reference group: annual average of total suicides in Australia between 1986 and 2005 after adjusting for population changes over the years.