Suicide in the Northern Territory, 2001-2006

The aim of the present study was to characterize suicide in the Northern Territory (NT) for the 6 year period 1 January 2001-31 December 2006.

Suicide death rates by area (Australia, NT), sex, and Indigenous status for the period of 2001-2006 were obtained from the National Coroners Information System through the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Population figures were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

For this period the suicide rate of NT (21.6 per 100 000) was double the national rate ( 11 ), and the rate for NT Indigenous people (36.7) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of NT non-Indigenous people (14.7). There was a decline in the suicide rate for Australia of -8.6%; for NT, -6.3%; for NT non-Indigenous, -3.3%; and for NT Indigenous, -9.0%. The sex difference was significant (p < 0.001) for both Australia and the NT with male subjects having a higher suicide rate than female subjects. With respect to age group, some evidence suggested an earlier peak for NT Indigenous compared to NT non-Indigenous people. Hanging was more common in NT than in the rest of the country and accounted for 87% of Indigenous suicide.

Suicide is more common in NT than in Australia generally, and more common in NT Indigenous than NT non-Indigenous people. There is evidence of a decline in suicide rates across the board.