Both young men and young women were more likely to complete suicide if they were living in rural or remote communities than if they were living in major population centres. Back to Top Aboriginal Youth Suicide Difficulties arise in identifying the overall incidence of suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders because of widespread under-reporting, particularly in remote areas. Based on available data persons of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent have higher rates of suicide than non-indigenous Australians. Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are more likely to die by suicide than other young Australians with the indigenous youth suicide rate being 1.4 times that for non-indigenous young people 7 . Back to Top The Bigger Picture - Depression and Mental Health Beneath the tip of the iceberg of suicide lies the much larger issue of youth mental health.
Depression is now one of the most common mental health problems experienced by young people.
It is frequently a cause of significant problems such as school failure, family and peer disengagement and substance misuse. It is a major risk factor for youth suicide. Between one half and three quarters of all suicides are linked to depression 8 . 15 to 24 years experience severe depression requiring hospitalisation or other intensive treatment. While only a small proportion of moderately depressed young people are actively suicidal, their depression and suicidal thoughts are, nevertheless, likely to be a significant concern for them and their parents 9 .