SUICIDE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

• NCJ Number: 60445
• Author(s): W CLIFFORD; J MARJORAM
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 89 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: PRICE QUOTED IS IN AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS

Annotation

FOCUSING ON THE EXTENT OF RECORDED SUICIDES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, THIS STUDY PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF SUICIDE IN AUSTRALIA IN LIGHT OF INTERNATIONAL STATISTICS AND STUDIES.

Abstract

STUDIES OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, THE LARGEST STATE OF THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION WITH 9 PERCENT OF THE NATION'S TOTAL POPULATION, FOUND THAT ALLOWING FOR AGE, THE DIVORCED AND SEPARATED HAVE THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATES, THE SINGLE AND WIDOWED THE NEXT HIGHEST, AND THE MARRIED THE LOWEST RATES. PHYSICAL ILLNESS HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACT OF SELF DESTRUCTION IN 29 PERCENT OF ALL CASES AND IN 47 PERCENT OF THE CASES OF THOSE OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE. GENERALLY, SUICIDE IS THIRD OR FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA (1975); SUICIDE RANKED FIFTH IN THE PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG 15-19 YEAR OLDS, FOURTH AMONG 20-24 YEAR OLDS, SIXTH AMONG 25-34 YEAR OLDS, SEVENTH AMONG 35-54 YEAR OLDS, AND AFTER AGE 54 SUICIDE IS NO LONGER A PRINCIPAL CAUSE OF DEATH. BECAUSE WESTERN AUSTRALIA HAS THE CONTINENT'S THIRD HIGHEST ANNUAL AVERAGE SUICIDE RATE, ITS SECOND HIGHEST ROAD DEATH RATE, WITH A POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN THIS AND THE STATE'S HIGH LEVEL OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, FURTHER AND MORE CONCLUSIVE RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IS REQUIRED. SOME COMPENSATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WESTERN AUSTRALIA HAS A LOWER SUICIDE RATE THAN FOUR OTHER STATES OF THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINENT AND NUMEROUS OTHER COUNTRIES, NOTABLY DENMARK, FINLAND, SWEDEN, HUNGARY, AND WEST GERMANY. PATTERNS APPARENT FROM THIS STUDY AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL REPORTS POINT OUT THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SUICIDE AS A CAUSE OF DEATH DECREASES WITH ADVANCING AGE, WITH THE MAJORITY OF SUICIDES OCCURING BETWEEN 25-54 YEARS. PROPORTIONATELY MORE WOMEN THAN MEN TAKE SOLID OR LIQUID POISONS AND MORE MEN THAN WOMEN USE GUNS. OTHER FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDE INCLUDE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ILLNESS, ALCOHOLISM, DRUGS AND DRUG ABUSE, HOMICIDE, AND FAMILY OR ECONOMIC FAILURES. THE SIGNIFICANT SHIFT TOWARD SUICIDE BECOMING A PHENOMENA OF THE YOUNG REQUIRES FURTHER STUDY AND PREVENTIVE ACTION. FOOTNOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND STATISTICAL DATA ARE PROVIDED. (WJR)