Suicide in the Northern Territory, 2001–2006

OBJECTIVE: 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. METHOD: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.