AGE

Median age

The median age at death for suicide in 2009 was 43.4 years for males, 44.9 years for females and 43.8 years overall. In comparison, the median age for deaths from all causes in 2009 was 77.8 years for males, 83.9 years for females and 80.8 years overall.


Age-specific rates

Age-specific death rates are the number of deaths during the reference year at a specified age per 100,000 of the estimated resident population of the same age (see Glossary for further information). The pattern of age-specific rates in 2009 for suicide in males and females is shown in the graph below and in associated data cubes.

The highest age-specific suicide death rate for males in 2009 was observed in the 85 years and over age group (28.2 per 100,000 population). As a proportion of total male deaths in this age group, suicide deaths represented 0.2%. The age-specific death rate for 40-44 year old males was 22.9 per 100,000, and 22.7 per 100,000 for 35-39 year old males. Suicides as a proportion of total male deaths for these age groups were 13.8% and 18.5% respectively. The age-specific suicide rate for males was lowest in the 15-19 year age group (9.3 per 100,000). It should be noted that while this age-specific suicide rate is low in comparison to older age groups, suicide accounted for 19.0% of all deaths of males aged 15-19.

For females the highest age-specific suicide death rate in 2009 was observed in the 50-54 year age group with 8.8 deaths per 100,000. The lowest age-specific death rate for female deaths was in the 15-19 year age group (3.4 deaths per 100,000).


Age-standardised rates

Age standardisation is used to compare death rates over time, as it accounts for any changes in the age-structure of a population over time. The age-standardised suicide rate (for persons) in 2009 was 9.6 per 100,000. This compares with 12.3 per 100,000 in 2000. The age-standardised suicide rate in 2009 for males was 14.9 per 100,000 while the corresponding rate for females was 4.4 per 100,000.

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