Injury mortality and socioeconomic influence in Australia 2015–16

An analysis of changes over time for the lowest (most disadvantaged) and highest (least disadvantaged) socioeconomic groups for Suicide deaths is shown in Figure 3.12. Over the period from 2009–10 to 2015–16, annual rates of Suicide deaths in the lowest (most disadvantaged) group ranged from 1.2 to 1.8 times as high as rates in the highest (least disadvantaged) group.

Rates of Suicide deaths increased over time for the lowest (most disadvantaged) socioeconomic group, but little change over time was observed for the highest (least disadvantaged) socioeconomic group. For the lowest socioeconomic group, rates increased from 11.4 deaths per 100,000 in 2009–10 to 14.6 deaths per 100,000 in 2015–16. The rise in the modelled rate averaged 3.5% per year and was statistically significant.

Figure 3.12: Modelled age-standardised rates of Suicide deaths, by lowest and highest socioeconomic groups, Australia, 2009–10 to 2015–16

Notes

1. The solid lines represent the modelled rates from 2009–10 to 2015–16. The filled symbols represent the observed age-standardised rate value for each year.
2. Data underpinning this figure can be found in Table S36 in the supplementary tables spreadsheet.

An analysis of Suicide death rates, by age group, over the 7-year period reveals variation by age in both the lowest (most disadvantaged) and highest (least disadvantaged) socioeconomic groups. Figure 3.13 shows the average annual percentage change in rate of Suicide deaths for 4 age groups.

For those in the lowest (most disadvantaged) socioeconomic group, rates of Suicide deaths increased over the period from 2009–10 to 2015–16 for all 4 of the age groups shown in Figure 3.13. The largest average annual increase for this socioeconomic group (4.1%) was for those aged 45–64. However, the average annual percentage change in rates for this age group was not statistically significant. The only statistically significant average annual change in rates (3.1%) was observed for those aged 25–44.

For those in the highest (least disadvantaged) socioeconomic group, rates of Suicide deaths increased by an annual average of 3.0% for those aged 15–24 and decreased by an annual average of 2.0% for those aged 65 and over. Neither of these average annual percentage changes in rates was statistically significant.

Figure 3.13: Average annual percentage change in rate of Suicide deaths, by lowest and highest socioeconomic groups, by age group, Australia, 2009–10 to 2015–16

Notes

1. Age-specific rates are standardised using populations by socioeconomic status groups, which do not include persons in areas for which the socioeconomic status could not be determined.
2. As indicated by the (#) symbol, the average annual change in rates of suicide deaths was only statistically significant (p < 0.05) in those aged 25–44 in the lowest socioeconomic group.
3. Data underpinning this figure can be found in Table S37 in the supplementary tables spreadsheet.