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METHOD OF INTENTIONAL SELF-HARM

In 2014, the most frequent method of intentional self-harm was hanging, strangulation and suffocation (X70), a method used in more than half (56.3%) of all suicide deaths. Poisoning by drugs (X60-X64) was used in 15.4% of suicide deaths, followed by poisoning by other methods (X65-X69) including by alcohol and motor vehicle exhaust (6.6%). Methods using firearms (X72-X74) accounted for 6.2% of suicide deaths. The remaining suicide deaths included deaths from drowning, jumping from a high place, intentional self-harm by sharp object and other methods.


Mechanism By Intent - Selected Causes

Coronial processes to determine the intent of a death (whether intentional self-harm, accidental, homicide, undetermined intent) are especially important for statistics on suicide deaths because information on intent is necessary to complete the coding under ICD-10 coding rules. Coroners' practices to determine the intent of a death may vary across the states and territories. In some cases, no statement of intent will be made by a coroner. For some mechanisms of death where it may be very difficult to determine suicidal intent (e.g. single vehicle accidents, drownings), the burden of proof required for the coroner to establish that the death was due to intentional self-harm may make a finding of suicide less likely.

The table below presents selected external causes of death by mechanism and intent. It is possible that additional suicide deaths are contained within the intent categories of Accidental and Undetermined Intent, particularly for the mechanisms of poisoning and hanging. See Explanatory Notes 85-92 for further details.

3.4 Selected external causes of death, Mechanism by intent - 2014(a)(b)
	Accidental death	Intentional self-harm(c)	Assault	Undetermined intent	Other intent(d)	Total
Mechanism of death	no.	no.	no.	no.	no.	no.
Poisonings (X40-X49; X60-X69; X85-X90; Y10-Y19)	1 224	628	1	117	0	1 970
Hanging (W75-W84; X70; X91; Y20)	172	1 611	10	27	0	1 820
Drowning and submersion (W65-W74; X71; X92; Y21)	186	53	0	22	0	261
Firearms (W32-W34; X72-X74; X93-X95; Y22-Y24)	3	178	31	18	0	230
Contact with sharp object (W25-W29; X78; X99; Y28)	4	80	96	7	0	187
Falls (W00-W19; X80; Y01; Y30)	2 301	134	0	11	0	2 446
Other(e)	2 570	180	98	78	222	3 148
Total	6 460	2 864	236	280	222	9 840
(a) Causes of death data for 2014 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Explanatory Notes 52-54 and the Causes of Death Revisions, 2012 and 2013 Technical Note in this publication.
(b) Data 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 85-92.
(d) Includes Complications of medical and surgical care (Y40-Y84), Legal Intervention and operations of war (Y35-Y36), Sequelae with surgical and medical care as external cause (Y88) and Sequelae of other external causes (Y89).
(e) Other accidental death includes ICD-10 codes W20-W64 (excluding W25-W29, W32-W34, W47-W48), W85-W99, X00-X59 (Excluding X40-X49), V01-V99 and Y85-Y86. Other intentional self-harm includes ICD-10 codes X75-X84 (excluding X78 and X80) and Y870. Other assault includes ICD-10 codes X96-X98, Y00-Y09 (excluding Y01) and Y871.Other undetermined intent Includes ICD-10 codes Y25-Y34 (excluding Y28 and Y30) and Y872. Other intent includes Complications of medical and surgical care (Y40-Y84) and Legal intervention and operations of war (Y35-Y36), Sequelae with surgical and medical care as external cause (Y88) and Sequelae of other external causes (Y89).