ABS Causes of Death data summary 2015

Suicide Data 2015
Released 28 September 2016

About this summary
• The summary was prepared by staff at the Hunter Institute of
Mental Health to inform national communication activities under
the Mindframe National Media Initiative.
• A full summary of data can be found on the Mindframe website at
www.mindframe-media.info/for-media/reporting-suicide/facts-
and-stats
• Mindframe reminds media and communication professionals
accessing this summary of the need to be responsible and accurate
when reporting on or communicating about suicide.
• Resources to support reporting and professional communication
are available at www.mindframe-media.info

About this summary
• This is a summary of suicide death data released by the Australian
Bureau of Statistics (ABS), released on 28 September 2016 in
Catalogue 3303.0.
• This summary represents major trends in the 2015 (preliminary)
data, trends by age group over time and state variations.
• As the release of the 2015 preliminary data was earlier than
previous years, the data shown here represents 2013 (first revision)
and both 2014 and 2015 preliminary data. The first revision of 2014
and final revision of 2013 data will be available in early 2017.

Notes about using statistics
• The gap between preliminary and subsequent revisions, has been
closing due to the ABS receiving information faster from coronial
processes in each state and territory.
• ABS advises that care should be taken in comparing 2015 data with:
– Previous years, as some data has been subject to a quality
improvement process;
– Pre-2006 data as this data was not subject to the revision
process.
• Due to the relatively small numbers of suicides in some states and
territories, even one or two deaths can have a significant impact on
standardised suicide rates. Thus comparisons across Australia must
be done cautiously.

General summary
There were 3,027 deaths
due to suicide in 2015 at
an age-specific rate of 12.7
per 100,000.
This equates to and
average of 8.3 deaths by
suicide in Australia each
day.
About 76% of those who
died by suicide were male,
a ratio of more than 3:1.
There were 2,292 male
deaths at a age-specific
rate of 19.4 per 100,000.
There were 735 female
deaths at a age-specific
rate of 6.2 per 100,000.
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples are
approximately twice as
likely to die by suicide
than non-Indigenous
people.
In 2015, there were 152
Aboriginal and Torres strait
Islander people who died
by suicide, at a rate of 25.5
per 100,000.
While age-specific suicide rates are lower than the most recent peak in 1997 (14.6 per
100,000) they have increased between 2013 (10.9 per 100,000), 2014 (12.2 per 100,000)
and 2015 (12.7 per 100,000).

Preliminary Suicide Rates, 2015
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85+
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Age category
Male Preliminary
Female Preliminary

Suicide Rates (1989-2015)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderates(per100,000)
Year
Preliminary Male
Revised Male
Preliminary Female
Revised Female

15-19 Year olds
Age-specific Suicide Rates 1989-2015
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

20-24 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

25-29 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

30-34 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

35-39 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

40-44 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

45-49 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

50-54 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

55-59 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

60-64 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female

65-69 Year olds
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Year
Male
Female

70-74 Year olds
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Year
Male
Female

75-79 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female
*Note – Statistics available prior to 1997 reported the eldest category as 75 plus. To include this data
for illustrative purposes, data here represents 75 or older for all data pre 1997.

80-84 Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female
for illustrative purposes, data here represents 75+ for all data pre 1997.

85+ Year olds
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Year
Male
Female
for illustrative purposes, data here represents 75+ for all data pre 1997.

Based on the age-standardised death rate from 2015
ABS 3303.0 – Causes of Death, Australia
15.0 per
100,000
21.0 per
100,000
13.4 per
100,000
15.7 per
100,000
10.6 per
100,000
11.6 per
100,00010.8 per
100,000
16.3 per
100,000

Age-standardised death rates by State and
Territory 2006-2015
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Age-standardisedsuiciderate(per100,000)
NSW Vic. Qld
SA WA Tas.
NT ACT

Mindframe National Media Initiative
The Mindframe National Media Initiative aims to encourage
responsible, accurate and sensitive representation of mental
illness and suicide in the Australian mass media.
For more information and to view the range of
Mindframe resources, visit: www.mindframe-media.info

Conversations Matter
Community and professional resources to guide and support
safe and effective conversations about suicide.
A range of practical resources are available online at
www.conversationsmatter.com.au

ABS Causes of Death data summary 2015

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