Linking Social Factors and Suicide
Although much research exists about individual level risk factors for suicide, there had been, up to now, few examinations of possible social influences on suicide in NZ. So the Ministry of Health commissioned a suite of five reports from the Wellington Medical School and Health Sciences between 2001 and 2004 that examined a range of possible social explanations for the trends in NZ's suicide rates to 1999.
The reports are:
- "Explaining Patterns of Suicide: A Selective review of studies examining social, economic, cultural and other population-level influences". Key finding: Showed that although a range of characteristics of society are associated with suicide rates, it has been difficult to establish direct causal relationships.
- "Suicide Rates in NZ: Exploring associations with social and economic factors". Key finding: Supported the conclusion of report 1.
- "He whakamomori: He Whakaaro, he korero noa: A collection of contemporary views on Maori and suicide". Key finding: Studied the views of selected Maori with expertise in the area of suicide. Their views were found to concur with existing literature in emphasising political and cultural change as key social contributors to suicide among Maori.
- "The Impact of Economic recession on Youth Suicide: a comparison of NZ and Finland. (2003)". Key finding: Compared NZ's and Finland's responses to the global economic recession and provided evidence that suggested - though was not conclusive - differing impacts of economic conditions on male youth suicide rates.
- "Suicide Trends and Social Factors in NZ 1981-1999: Analyses from the NZ Census-Mortality Study". Key finding: Studied Census-Mortality data over a 20-year period and discovered that among men aged 25-64 suicide trends varied by income, with the association between low income and suicide strengthening over the time period studied.
A sixth report that draws conclusions from these five reports was released in May to coincide with the release of the government's draft all-ages suicide prevention strategy.
The broad consensus arising from the reports is that social factors are relevant to suicide events. This is consistent with international opinion that suicide prevention cannot be left entirely to clinical interventions. However, it is not clear which social-level interventions (if any) will have a demonstrable and specific effect on suicide rates, either in the population as a whole, or in specific sub-populations. However, although social and economic factors do have an impact on suicide rates, the extent of the links between macrosocial, cultural and macroeconomic factors and individual suicidal behaviours remained unclear.
Background - Suicide Facts
- In 2002 - the most recent year for which there are official suicide statistics - 460 people died by suicide. In 2001 that figure was 507. The suicide rate has declined by 25 percent since a peak in 1998, from 14.3 to 10.7 deaths per 100,000 population in 2002.
- Males continue to have a higher suicide rate than females, with 3.2 male suicides to every female suicide per 100,000 population. Females have a higher rate of hospitalisation for intentional self-harm, which is a proxy for attempted suicide.
- The rate of suicide was higher for Maori than non-Maori; 78 Maori died by suicide in 2002, a rate of 12.6 per 100,000 compared with 79 in 2001, a rate of 13.4 per 100,000. People aged 20 to 24 had the highest suicide rate, followed by people aged 25 to 29.
- Although NZ young people continue to have a high rate of suicide internationally, 80 percent of NZers who died by suicide in 2002 were aged 25 years or older. This was why there was a change in emphasis earlier this year, extending NZ's youth suicide prevention strategy into an all-ages strategy. The strategy is expected to be finalised mid 2006 and an action plan will then be developed.
The reports and detailed information on the government's suicide prevention initiatives are available on the Ministry of Health website: www.moh.govt.nz/suicideprevention |
Contact for Enquiries
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