Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are identified as a population disproportionately impacted by suicide in Australia.

It is important to acknowledge the continuing strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the impact of colonisation on contemporary rates of suicide. Prior to colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lived healthy and happy lives, with low rates of suicide.

What does the evidence tell us about suicide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?

Data from AIHW and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that in 2023*:

• Suicide was the fifth leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is compared to the 17^th leading cause of death for non-Indigenous people.
• The suicide rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was 30.2 per 100,000 compared to 11.3 for non-Indigenous people.
• The median age of death by suicide was 32.8 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is compared to 47.7 years for non-Indigenous people.
• Since 2020, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had a suicide rate more than double that of non-Indigenous people.

Suicide in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (5-17 years)*:

• Suicide was the leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
• Almost a quarter of deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were due to suicide.
• The suicide rate was more than three times higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children compared to non-Indigenous children.

*The ABS reports these data for New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. This is due to the quality of data collected on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status.

Factors that may increase risk of suicide

Evidence shows that high suicide rates experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are due to multiple, complex and interrelated factors that heighten the risk for suicidal behaviours and self-harm. These can include the cumulative impact of:

• The continuing impacts of colonisation
• Transgenerational trauma, grief and loss associated with the ongoing impact of dislocation and the effects of forced removal of children and mistreatment
• Pervasive racism and discrimination at individual, institutional and system levels
• High rates of incarceration
• Violence and inter-personal conflict
• An access gap to mental health services
• Mental health and suicide support services which are not culturally safe
• Social determinants of health (e.g. inadequate housing, food insecurities, lack of employment, poverty).

Factors that protect against suicide risk

There are unique aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture that can have a significant positive influence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health, and that enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to maintain strong social and emotional wellbeing. Connection to land, spirituality and ancestry, kinship networks, and cultural continuity are commonly identified as important health protecting factors.

The causes of suicide are complex and multifaceted. It is important to acknowledge that an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person may never experience suicidal behaviours or thoughts. The presence of protective factors can reduce the suicide risk.

What does this mean for policy and practice?

The social determinants of health (for example, inadequate housing, food insecurities, low employment, poverty) contribute to high rates of suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Suicide prevention programs and services should therefore support a multi-level approach to address dispossession, racism and the broader determinants of health, and the array of inequalities that impact on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Related resources

Indigenous initiatives

Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia

Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia is a national independent and inclusive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention leadership body, encompassing cultural and clinical elements to benefit all communities.

Indigenous lived experience network

Former Minister for Indigenous Australians, Hon Ken Wyatt announced $1 million towards an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre within Black Dog Institute. This is to provide a national representative voice for Indigenous people with lived experience of suicide.

Frameworks, Resources and Guiding Documents

• National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017-2023
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project
• Manual of Resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention
• Guidelines for providing mental health first aid to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviour

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention centres