- National suicide data
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
- National Suicide and Self-harm Monitoring System
Ambulance attendances for suicidal and self-harm behaviours
The following summary is based on data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) from the National Suicide and Self-Harm Monitoring System (the System). The System was established as part of the national effort to address suicide and self-harm in Australia by improving the quality, accessibility and timeliness of data on deaths by suicide and on self-harming and suicidal behaviours.
When exploring suicide data, it is important to remember that behind the numbers are people, families and communities impacted by suicide in Australia. The reasons people take their own life are complex, and often there is no single reason why a person attempts or dies by suicide. By increasing our understanding of data alongside the lived experience of distress, we will increase the opportunity to save lives.
For guidance on reporting on suicide and self-harm data, please refer to the Mindframe Quick Reference Guide.
Released by AIHW on Wednesday, 28 September 2023
Data on ambulance attendances helps to increase understanding of suicide and self-harm behaviours in Australia. However, these data do not show the full extent of suicide and self-harm as ambulances are not always called to self-harm or suicide-related incidents.
Ambulance attendances for non-fatal self-harm behaviours are coded as being for suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts), suicide attempts or self-injury (without suicidal intent).
The National Suicide and Self-harm Monitoring System has been updated to include National Ambulance Surveillance System data to December 2022 for the Tasmania (Tas), Queensland (Qld) and Victoria (Vic), and to September 2022 for Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and New South Wales (NSW).
In 2021, ambulances attended around 90,100 incidents that involved suicidal thoughts or behaviours across NSW, Vic, Qld, Tas and the ACT.
In 2022, average monthly ambulance attendances per 100,000 population for suicide ideation or attempts combined are represented below with bars to indicate the range in ambulance attendances over the same period.
Generally, for the available states and territories across both 2021 and 2022, average monthly rates of ambulance attendances per 100,000 population is highest for suicidal ideation (thoughts), followed by suicide attempts, and lowest for self-injury.
Gender differences
While more males die by suicide compared to females in Australia, females have higher rates of self-harm or suicide attempts. Over time, general trends for the rate of ambulance attendances for:
- Self-injury tended to be higher for females compared to males, across NSW, Vic, Qld and the ACT.
- Suicidal thinking was similar for females and males across NSW, Vic, Qld, Tas and ACT.
- Suicide attempts were higher in females than males in NSW, Vic and Qld.
Age and gender differences
Ambulance attendances for suicide and self-harm behaviours also vary with age. When looking at combined data for ambulance attendances in NSW, Vic, ACT and Tas from June 2018 to June 2022, attendance rates for:
- Female self-injury, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts generally decreased with age.
- Male suicide attempts were highest for the 25–44 years age group.
- Self-injury, suicidal thinking and suicide attempts were higher in females compared to males for the under 24 years age group.
- Suicidal thoughts were generally higher in males compared to females for the 25–44 years age group.
- Female self-injury in people under 25 years increased between March 2018 and August 2021, then declined overall from November 2021 to September 2022.
- Female suicide attempts increased in people under 25 years between March 2018 and March 2021, before steadily declining until September 2022.
- Male suicidal thoughts decreased from January 2021 onwards for all age groups, especially people under 65 years.
- Self-injury among people aged 45 years and older were similar across males and females.
