Suicide Among Young Rural Australians 1964-1993: a Comparison With Metropolitan Trends

This study tested hypotheses that from 1964-1993: suicide rates among Australian 15-24-year-old males rose more sharply in rural than metropolitan areas; firearm suicide rates among 15-24-year-old males, declining throughout Australia recently, rose continuously in rural areas; & suicide rates among 15-24-year-old females did not change significantly in either rural or metropolitan areas. Results were analysed using log-linear analysis & chi-square statistics. The results supported the first 2 hypotheses but not the third. Female youth suicide rates did not change overall, but in towns with less than 4,000 population, they increased 4.5 fold. Possible explanations, which are mostly speculative & require confirmation, are discussed. (93 refs.)