Suicide continues to be a major public health issue in Australia, in recent years. Although death by suicide is a relatively uncommon event, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the human and economic costs are substantial.
Suicide can be defined as the deliberate taking of one’s life. Thus, to be classified as suicide, a death must be recognised as being due to factors other than natural causes.
There were 2,101 deaths from suicide registered in Australia in 2005, similar to the number registered in the previous year. Nearly 80% of these were deaths of males.
Nevertheless, in 2005, the age-standardised suicide rate for males was 16.4 per 100,000 people; while the corresponding rate for females was 4.3 per 100,000, according to the ABS data.
The most common method of suicide was hanging (including strangulation and suffocation) which was used in 51% of all suicide cases.
Firearms accounted for 7% of suicide deaths, poisoning by drugs 12%, poisoning by other methods 16%, and drowning and other methods 14% of the suicide deaths (ABS).
In fact, from 1995-2005, the male suicide death rate was approximately four times higher than the corresponding female rate during this period.
http://www.abs.gov.au
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The Gentle Neophyte
16 years ago
2 comments:
It is such a personal choice to end one's time in this life, a choice that usually affects so many others and leaves anger and dismay in the wake. We all go through some form of depression but thank goodness we don't step off the sanity trail far enough to give in to the seduction of what seems to be the only way out.
Why did you post on this; do you know someone who is part of that statistic?
Thank you for your insight into the problem of suicide. We lost a young man in the community, not too long ago. Although I did not know him personally, his untimely death was a great loss to the new and emerging community.
I really appreciate your comment and concern, Technobabe.
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