3303.0 - Causes of Death, Australia, 2011 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/03/2013   
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APPENDIX 1: SUICIDE DEATHS OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 15

In 2010, the Senate Community Affairs References Committee released the report 'The Hidden Toll: Suicide in Australia'. This report recommended that the ABS record and track suicide deaths of children and young people under the age of 15. While suicide deaths of people in this age group have been included in ABS reporting of total numbers of suicides, they have not previously been released as a separate age group. The ABS has worked with the National Committee for Standardised Reporting on Suicide to facilitate a release process for these data to ensure that a complete set of information is publicly available.

The number of suicide deaths of children and young people under the age of 15 is small, but is significant in terms of the proportion of all deaths within this age group. Tables provided in this appendix show aggregate data for the 5 year period from 2007-2011. The age group published is for persons 5 to 14 years of age. This aligns with standards used elsewhere in the Cause of Death release and with those used by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The ABS is not aware of any recorded suicide deaths of children under the age of 5.

Deaths of children by suicide is an extremely sensitive issue. The number of deaths of children attributed to suicide can be influenced by coronial reporting practices. Reporting practices may lead to differences in counts across jurisdictions and this should be taken into account when interpreting these data. For more information on issues associated with the compilation and interpretation of suicide data, see Explanatory Notes 92-95.

The following two tables present the number of deaths from suicide by age group for the 2007- 2011 reference period. Table A1.1 shows the number of deaths from suicide and age-specific death rates by age group and sex. Table A1.2 shows the number of deaths from suicide by age group and state or territory of usual residence.

It is recognised that the death rate from suicide differs between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians. While not separately tabulated, it should be noted that of the 53 deaths by suicide of children and young people under the age of 15, 17 deaths (32.1%) were of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The remaining deaths were of non-Indigenous persons or persons for whom Indigenous status was not stated.

A1.1 Suicide, Number and age-specific rates of death by age group and sex, 2007-2011(a)(b)(c)
Age group (years)
Males
no.
Females
no.
Persons
no.
Males
rate(d)(e)
Females
rate(d)(e)
Persons
rate(d)(e)
5-14
30
23
53
0.4
0.3
0.4
15-24
1,125
362
1,487
14.0
4.8
9.6
25-34
1,674
455
2,129
21.4
5.9
13.7
35-44
1,973
564
2,537
25.3
7.1
16.1
45-54
1,718
550
2,268
23.1
7.2
15.1
55-64
1,120
370
1,490
18.2
5.9
12.0
65-74
601
176
777
15.8
4.4
10.0
75-84
483
122
605
22.0
4.5
12.3
85 and over
187
66
253
29.3
5.3
13.5
All ages(f)
8,911
2,689
11,600
16.3
4.9
10.6
(a) All causes of death data from 2006 are subject to a revisions process - once data for a reference year are 'final', they are no longer revised. Affected data in this table are: 2006-2009 (final), 2010 (revised), 2011 (preliminary). See Explanatory Notes 29-33 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 in the Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 publication, and Causes of Death Revisions, 2009 and 2010 in this publication.
(b) Cells with small values have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation.
(c) Includes ICD-10 codes X60-X84 and Y87.0. Care needs to be taken in interpreting figures relating to suicide. See Explanatory Notes 92-95.
(d) Age-specific rates of deaths are the number of deaths per 100,000 population.
(e) The age-specific rates published in this table are calculated for the 2007-2011 reference period. As such, they may differ from age-specific rates published elsewhere in the Cause of Death which are calculated for a single year.
(f) Includes deaths of persons whose age was not stated.

A1.2 Suicide, Number of deaths by age group and state or territory of usual residence, 2007-2011(a)(b)(c)
Age group (years)
New South Wales
no.
Victoria
no.
Queensland
no.
South Australia
no.
Western Australia
no.
Tasmania
no.
Northern Territory
no.
Australian Capital Territory
no.
Australia
no.
5-14
14
12
14
0
5
3
5
3
53
15-24
298
336
390
119
227
31
68
18
1,487
25-34
545
460
513
171
286
66
50
38
2,129
35-44
666
561
609
231
314
68
47
41
2,537
45-54
611
544
515
179
292
76
21
29
2,268
55-64
408
343
342
140
174
50
10
23
1,490
65-74
250
174
170
61
81
22
10
9
777
75-84
182
138
125
53
63
24
7
13
605
85 and over
85
46
61
17
24
16
0
3
253
All ages(d)
3,059
2,614
2,740
971
1,466
355
218
175
11,600
(a) All causes of death data from 2006 are subject to a revisions process - once data for a reference year are 'final', they are no longer revised. Affected data in this table are: 2006-2009 (final), 2010 (revised), 2011 (preliminary). See Explanatory Notes 29-33 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 in the Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 publication, and Causes of Death Revisions, 2009 and 2010 in this publication.
(b) Cells with small values have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation.
(c) Includes ICD-10 codes X60-X84 and Y87.0. Care needs to be taken in interpreting figures relating to suicide. See Explanatory Notes 92-95.
(d) Includes deaths of persons whose age was not stated.


Crisis helplines

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467

Kids Helpline (for young people aged 5 to 25 years): 1800 55 1800