Suicide Facts - Provisional 2001 Statistics

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Suicide Facts
Provisional 2001 Statistics (all ages)

Date of publication: April 2004

ISBN 0-478-28238-9 (Book)
ISBN 0-478-28241-9 (Website)

HP 3816

Key Points

The total age-standardised suicide rate in 2001 was 11.7 deaths per 100,000 population (compared to 11.2 in 2000). Males continued to have a higher suicide death rate than females in 2001 (18.3 compared to 5.5 deaths per 100,000 population).

In 2001, people aged 20–24 years had the highest suicide rate (25.3 deaths per 100,000 population), followed by people aged 25–29 years and 30–34 years (21.7 and 21.2 per 100,000 population respectively).

In 2001, the total number of suicides was 499, up from 458 in 2000 but down from 516 in 1999. The 2000 number was the lowest total number since 1990 (455).

Between 2000 and 2001 the total number of suicides increased among both males (375 to 382 deaths) and females (83 to 117 deaths). The all-ages sex ratio for suicide was 3.3 male suicides to every female suicide.

The total rate of youth suicide (15–24 years) increased with 20.0 deaths per 100,000 population in 2001 compared with 18.1 per 100,000 population in 2000.

New Zealand has the highest male youth suicide rate (15–24 years), and the second highest female youth suicide rate compared to other OECD countries.

Mäori continue to have higher suicide rates than non-Mäori in 2001. In 2001, the rate of suicide among Mäori was 13.4 deaths per 100,000 population compared with 11.2 for non-Mäori.

The 2001 suicide rates for Mäori males and females were 20.7 and 6.8 per 100,000 population respectively and for non-Mäori males and females were 17.7 and 4.9 per 100,000 population respectively.

The hospitalisation rate for intentional self-harm in 2002 was 85.5 cases per 100,000 population. The female to male ratio for intentional self-harm was 2.1 female hospitalisations to every male hospitalisation.

The youth hospitalisation rate for intentional self-harm in 2002 was 186.5 cases per 100,000 population.

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Related information

Suicide Prevention in New Zealand

Media release: Jim Anderton comments on latest suicide statistics

Other publications relating to suicide

Data and statistics

Suicide Facts - Provisional 2000 Statistics (all ages)

Suicide Facts - Provisional 1999 Statistics (all ages)

Related links

SPINZ - Youth Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand