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Intentional self-harm hospitalisations among young people

Hospitalisations data for patients with intentional self-harm injuries includes those with and without suicidal intent. For further information see the Technical notes.

The data presented here are for children and young people aged below 24 years, grouped into 3 age ranges: 14 years and below, 15–19 years and 20–24 years. For children, especially those aged under 10 years, it is difficult to determine whether a self-inflicted injury was done with intent to self-harm.

The line graph shows age-specific rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations for young people aged 14 and below, 15–19 and 20–24 from 2008–09 to 2022–23. Users can also choose to view age-specific rates, numbers and proportions of hospitalisations for intentional self-harm by sex for each age group.

Young people have the highest rates of hospitalisation for intentional self-harm

In 2022–23:

  • the rate for young people aged 15–19 years was 308 hospitalisations per 100,000 population, the highest of all age groups (including older age groups not in this visualisation)
  • the age-specific hospitalisation rate due to intentional self-harm was lower among people aged 20–24 years (204 per 100,000), and the lowest was for children aged 14 years and below (37 per 100,000 population)
  • the age-specific rate was highest for females aged 15–19 years (499 hospitalisations per 100,000 population), followed by females aged 20–24 years (289 per 100,000 population)
  • rates for young males were generally lower compared to females within age groups. The lowest rate was for males under 14 years (8.9 hospitalisations per 100,000 population), followed by males aged 20–24 years (122). Similar to females, those aged 15–19 years had the highest rate among young males (127 hospitalisations per 100,000 population).

Rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations for young females remain high compared to males of same age

From 2008–09 to 2022–23:

  • while the rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations in females remain high compared to males of the same age, there has been a decline in the last couple of years, most notably in young females aged 15–19.
  • There appears to be an age effect for females aged 15–19 that is not observed in males. Unlike males of the same age, the rate of female intentional self-harm hospitalisations in this age group differs considerably from those aged 20–24.
  • Male rates for the age group 15–24 years have largely remained flat over time, with less variability compared to females of the same age.

Analysis of intentional self-harm hospitalisations by age and sex shows the following:

  • females aged 14 years and below: There has been a greater than 3-fold increase in the rate of intentional self-harm hospitalisations (from 19 hospitalisations per 100,000 population to 66).
  • Females aged 15–19 years: The rate rose from 374 hospitalisations per 100,000 population in 2008–09 to 703 in 2020–21, and then lowered to 499 in 2022–23.
  • Females aged 20–24 years: The rate was lower in 2022–23 than in 2008–09 (295 and 289 per 100,000 population, respectively). The rate increased to its highest in 2020–21 (375 per 100,000 population). Both females and males aged 20–24 years are the only age group with an overall decrease since 2008–09.
  • Males aged 15–19 years: An increase was observed from 124 hospitalisations per 100,000 population to a peak of 174 in 2020–21, before decreasing to 127 in 2022–23.
  • Males aged 20–24 years: There was an overall decrease from 149 in 2008–09 to 122 per 100,000 population in 2022–23, after peaking at 185 in 2016–17.
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