SUICIDE RATES AND METHODS IN DIFFERENT AGE-GROUPS - AUSTRALIAN DATA AND PERCEPTIONS

Objectives. The two major aims of this study were (1) to assess senior medical students' knowledge of the age pattern of suicides in Austral ia, and (2) to note changes in the pattern of suicide in recent years. Design. (1) Two groups of medical students were asked to graph the ag e distribution of Australian male and female suicides. (2) Suicide sta tistics (up to 1994) were provided by the Australian Bureau of Statist ics. Results. (1) Only 40% of the 75 medical students were aware that suicide in Australia is much more frequent among males. Only two of th e 75 drew graphs that were similar to the true pattern. (2) The male r ate of suicide at age 20-40 years was almost 35 per 100000 in 1989-94; above 80 years it was nearly 40 per 100000. The female suicide rate o f all age groups from 20 years to late old age was about 7 per 100000. The most striking changes in method of suicide in Australia in recent years have been the doubling of male rates of suicide by hanging and car exhaust fumes, increases being greater in younger age groups. Elde rly females are more likely than younger females to use hanging as a m eans of suicide. Conclusions. Male suicide rates peak in young adultho od and (higher) in late old age. Senior medical students were unaware of the true age and sex patterns of suicide in Australia. Treating dep ressions and preventing suicides of elderly people (as well as of youn g people) should be top priorities.