Youth suicide

Indicator Description

Youth suicide rates.

What We Have Found

The New Zealand youth suicide rate has been generally decreasing since its peak in the mid 1990s.

Why This Is Important

Youth (15 to 24 years-old) suicide is a tragic outcome - the loss of young lives to families, schools, communities and the wider society.  Suicide matters not only for the consequences of the act itself but because of the anguish, depression, hopelessness and other negative experiences associated with suicide that occur amongst New Zealand youth contemplating, or at-risk of, suicide.

Research indicates that suicide is associated with depression, hopelessness, adjustment difficulty and severe stresses or life crises, including relationship break-ups.  Bullying and intimidation in the peer group have been implicated in youth suicide.  Le Brun et al (2004) reported that almost one third of non-heterosexual students were unsure or thought it unlikely that they will live to the age of 25 and over 10% of all non-heterosexual students reported that they had attempted suicide in the 12 months prior to participating in the Youth2000 National Secondary School survey.  Research on the prevalence of thoughts about suicide indicates that all secondary schools are likely to have students who experience suicidal thoughts.  The wider issues of youth depression and hopelessness are of concern for educators, families and the wider community.

Under New Zealand's National Administration Guideline 5, schools are required to provide a safe physical and emotional environment.  However, it is recommended that school-based programmes aimed at increasing awareness of young people about issues of youth suicide are not undertaken and the Ministry of Education has published guidelines to assist schools in other preventative approaches.  Schools have a key preventative role to play in supporting students across the curriculum in building youth self-esteem (including cultural identity), teaching social skills and facilitating healthy youth and peer cultures and networks.  Schools can be most effective when working in partnerships with parents and communities to support youth well-being.

Youth suicide is the most extreme indicator of negative well-being and has implications for families, schooling, peer culture, health, work and other community contexts.

How We Are Going

The youth suicide rate is the highest for any age group in the New Zealand population.  The number of youth suicides in 2002-2004 combined was 305.  This equates to an average youth suicide rate of 17.8 per 100,000. The youth suicide rate in 2004 was 19.3 per 100,000.

Youth suicide rates by gender (1980-2004)

Youth suicide rates reached a peak in New Zealand in 1995.  From 1995 and 2000 the overall rate steadily reduced and it has began to flatten out from 2000 to 2004. 

The 2002-2004 combined suicide rate for New Zealanders aged 20 to 24 years (19.8 per 100,000) was higher than the suicide rate for New Zealanders aged 15 to 19 years (16.0 per 100,000).

The gap between male and female youth suicide rates, has been closing since 1995.  This is due principally to a 36 percent decrease in the male youth suicide rate while the female rate declined by only 16 percent over the same period.  However, the gap is still large with the male youth suicide rate for 2002-2004 combined (24.7 per 100,000) almost two-and-a-half times the female youth suicide rate (10.8 per 100,000).

Youth suicide rates per 100,000 15-24 year-olds by year and ethnic group (1996 to 2004)

The 2002-2004 combined youth suicide rate for Māori (32.3 per 100,000) was almost twice as high as the Pasifika rate (16.7 per 100,000), and was more than double the non-Māori/non-Pasifika rate (14.2 per 100,000).  Since the late 1990s the Pasifika and non-Māori/non-Pasifika rates have generally decreased.  However, the Māori rate is at a similar level in 2004 as it was in the late 1990s.

Where To Find Out More

Other labour market and social outcomes of education are included under the Education and Learning Outcomes Domain.

References

Beautrais, A et al. (1997). The prevention, recognition and management of young people at risk of suicide: development of guidelines for schools. Wellington, Ministry of Education and National Health Committee.

Le Brun, C., Robinson, E., Warren, H., Watson, P.D. (2004). Non-heterosexual Youth - A Profile of their Health and Wellbeing: Data from Youth2000. Auckland: The University of Auckland.

Rivers, L. (1995). Young person suicide. Guidelines to understanding, preventing and dealing with the aftermath. Wellington, Special Education Service.

The Ministry of Health's Suicide Toolkit.

World Health Organization's country reports on suicide Country Reports.