Suicide deaths were associated with a range of psychosocial factors

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The types of psychosocial factors involved in a person’s death vary depending on their underlying cause of death.

Multiple and complex personal and social factors are known to be experienced by people who die by suicide (Turecki and Brent, 2015). In 2022 deaths due to suicide were associated with a range of risk factors. The most frequently mentioned psychosocial factors were history of self-harm, intimate partner issues and support system factors (Figure 10.1).

Of the deaths which mentioned at least one psychosocial factor:

  • 24% of males and 44% of females who died by suicide, mentioned personal history of self-harm.
  • 21% of males and 30% of females who died due to accidental poisoning mentioned issues relating to support systems.
  • for both males and females, 2 in 3 deaths due to falls mentioned care needs.

Figure 10.1: Most common psychosocial factors mentioned by underlying cause, per cent of deaths mentioning factor, by sex, 2022

Issues surrounding intimate partners, personal history of self-harm, suicide ideation and circumstances surrounding support systems were mentioned for both males and females who died by suicide. Factors surrounding policing & justice were more likely to be mentioned for males, and care needs for women. The most common psychosocial factor mentioned in deaths due to falls was care needs.

Notes 

  1. Deaths registered in 2022 are based on the preliminary version and are subject to further revision by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  2. Each death can involve one or more psychosocial factors. As a result, the total percentage by a cause type can be greater than 100.

Source: AIHW National Mortality Database; Table S10.1.

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