An overview of suicide statistics

This document summarises information about suicide deaths in New Zealand covering
up to 2013. It does not attempt to explain causes of suicidal behaviour or causes of
changes to suicide rates.

508 the number of suicide deaths in 2013

11.0 deaths per 100,000 people was the suicide rate in 2013

Suicide deaths in 2013 by gender

Male Female

365 143
2.5 times more men
died by suicide than
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
women in 2013

NZ suicide death rate (per 100,000) by

30 ethnicity
Māori have higher
Male Female Total
suicide rates than other
20
ethnic groups

10

0
Māori Pacific Asian European &
Other

Suicide rate in 2013 by life-stage age group

Total

20

15 Youth (15–24 years) have

higher suicide rates than
10
other life stage age
5 groups
0 1
15–24 25–44 45–64 65+
Ethnicity and Deprivation

Suicide rates among Māori and Pacific peoples decrease with age whereas
suicide rates among European and Other people do not.

Māori youth have higher suicide rates than youth from other ethnic groups.

Suicide rates by ethnicity and five-year age group (from 5 years of

age), 2009-2013
Māori Pacific Asian European & Other

60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Percentage of suicide deaths by deprivation

30% quintile
In 2013 suicide rates 20%
increased with level of
deprivation. 10%

More Māori and Pacific 0%

people living in the most 1 (least 2 3 4 5 (most
deprived areas died by deprived) deprived)
suicide than Māori and
Pacific people living in less Suicide deaths (percentage) by ethnic
deprived areas. deprivation

European and Other 1 (Lowest Deprivation) 2 3 4 5 (Highest Deprivation)

people suicide rates do 60%
not increase with level of
40%
deprivation.
20%
2
0%
European and Other Māori Pacific
 Age and trends over time

Suicide rates among Māori and Pacific peoples decrease with age whereas
suicide rates among European and Other people do not.

Māori youth have higher suicide rates than youth from other ethnic groups.

Percentage of suicide deaths by age and ethnicity 2013

Māori Pacific Asian European and Other

100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%

15.1 deaths per 100,000 in 1998 – the highest suicide rate since records began.

Approximately 27% decrease in suicide rates since 1998.

Almost 10% decrease in suicide rates between 2006 and 2013.

Suicide rates for males have changed more over time than suicide rates for females.

NZ suicide death rate (per 100,000) 1948 - 2013

30
Male Female Total
25

20

15

10

0
1950

1996

2004
1948

1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994

1998
2000
2002

2010
2012
2006
2008

3
Geographical location

Bay of Plenty, Lakes, MidCentral and

South Canterbury DHB regions have
significantly higher suicide rates than
the national average.

Waitemata, Auckland and Capital &

Coast DHB regions have significantly
lower suicide rates than the national
average.

Significantly lower suicide rate

Significantly higher suicide rate

There is little difference in rates of urban and rural suicide, for each life-
stage group.

The differences are not statistically significant.

Rate of suicide, by urban/rural profile and life-stage age group, 2013

Rate (per 100,000) Urban Rural

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
15–24 25–44 45–64 65+
Age-group (years ) 4
International comparisons
Compared with other countries in the OECD, New Zealand’s suicide rates (males and
females) are towards the middle of the range.

New Zealand’s male youth suicide rate was the third highest and New Zealand’s
female youth suicide rate was the highest.
Total youth suicide rates per
Total suicide rates per 100,000 in
100,000 in the OECD for males and
the OECD for males and females
females
Female Male
Female Male

Turkey
Portugal
Greece
Turkey
Mexico
Greece
Italy
Spain
Spain
Italy
Israel
Luxembourg
United Kingdom
Israel
Portugal
Denmark
Netherlands United Kingdom
Luxembourg Netherlands
Denmark Iceland
Norway Germany
Germany France
Australia Switzerland
Switzerland Mexico
Sweden Slovakia
Canada Austria
New Zealand Hungary
Iceland Norway
Ireland Sweden
Slovakia Czech Republic
USA Australia
Austria Belgium
Chile Canada
France Republic of Korea
Czech Republic USA
Belgium Estonia
Finland Poland
Poland Slovenia
Japan Japan
Estonia Chile
Slovenia Ireland
Hungary New Zealand
Republic of Korea Finland 5

0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40
Health service use

Suicide deaths 2008-2013 by self harm

hospitalisation*
Around 30% of people who
died by suicide were Male Yes Male No Female Yes Female No
hospitalised for self harm in 100%
the year before they died. 80%
60%
More women who died by 40%
suicide were hospitalised 20%
for self harm before they 0%
died. 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
*in the year preceding death

Suicide deaths 2008-2013 by GP service Around 20% of people who

use* died by suicide did not use a
Male Yes Male No Female Yes Female No GP service in the year before
they died.
100%
80%
60%
More men who died by
40% suicide did not use a GP
20% service in the year before
0% they died
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
*in the year preceding death

Around 82% of European Suicide deaths and GP service use* by

and Other people who died ethnicity
by suicide used a GP service
in the year before they died. Maori Pacific Asian European and Other

100%
Asian, Māori and Pacific 80%
people who died by suicide 60%
were less likely to use a GP 40%
service in the year before 20%
they died 0%
Yes No 6

*in the year preceding death

Mental health service use

On average 40% of people who died by suicide accessed mental health

services in the year before they died.

Suicide deaths 2008-2013 by acute mental health service use*

Male Yes Male No Female Yes Female No

100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
*in the year preceding death

Pacific people were less likely to have accessed mental health services than
people from other ethnic groups in the year before they died by suicide.

Suicide deaths and acute mental health service use* by ethnicity

Maori Pacific Asian European and Other

100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Yes No
*in the year preceding death
7
Method

Hanging, strangulation and suffocation is the most common method.

More females use poisoning by solids and liquids as a method than males.

More males use firearms and explosives as a method than females.

Method of suicide death

Hanging, strangulation and suffocation (X70) Firearms and explosives (X72, X74-5)
Poisoning - gases and vapours (X66-7) Poisoning - solids and liquids (X60-5, X68-9)
Submersion (drowning) (X71) Other means (X76-84)

Male
Female

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Māori, Pacific and Asian people use hanging, strangulation and suffocation as
a method more than European and Other people

More European and Other people use firearms and explosives, and poisoning
as a method than people from other ethnic groups

Method of suicide death by ethnicity

Hanging, strangulation and suffocation (X70) Firearms and explosives (X72, X74-5)
Poisoning - gases and vapours (X66-7) Poisoning - solids and liquids (X60-5, X68-9)
Submersion (drowning) (X71) Other means (X76-84)
100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

8
0%
Asian Maori Other Pacific