Suicide, one of the leading cause of deaths in Australia

By Dr Majid Khan (Melbourne):

Suicide remains one of Australia’s most persistent public health challenges, claiming over three thousands of lives annually despite increasing awareness and intervention programs. It is currently the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15–29, and one of the top causes across middle-aged men.

While overall national rates have shown periods of stabilization, sector-specific data reveal worrying disparities, particularly within the construction industry, unemployment-affected groups, and prison populations. Understanding these patterns is critical to shaping targeted and evidence-based prevention strategies.

National Overview: A Mixed Trend

Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) indicate that the national suicide rate has fluctuated between 11 to 13 deaths per 100,000 people over the last decade, suggesting relative stability. However, beneath this average lie significant sectoral and demographic variations. Men account for roughly three-quarters of all suicide deaths, with rural and regional areas showing higher rates than urban centres.

From 2009 to 2018, a large-scale study using Convergent Cross Mapping (CCM) — a dynamical systems approach — found a causal link between negative employment transitions and suicide, highlighting economic insecurity as a major determinant.

Although overall unemployment rates in Australia remained steady during this period, subtle transitions — such as job losses, underemployment, and unstable work conditions — had strong psychological consequences.

When employment data were detrended, only negative employment transitions maintained a significant causal association with suicide, suggesting that job loss and instability exert deeper long-term effects on mental health than steady employment or positive transitions.

Economic and Employment Factors

Economic instability has long been tied to suicide risk. Numerous studies have confirmed that financial hardship, poverty, and unemployment amplify psychological distress, leading to depression, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. During economic downturns, especially in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, spikes in suicide rates were observed globally — a pattern mirrored in Australia.

In the Australian cohort study, negative employment transitions (such as layoffs or involuntary retirement) showed a ρ value of 0.61, indicating a strong causal link to suicide. By contrast, “no transition” (stable employment) and “positive transition” (promotion or new job) showed no significant causal association after data adjustment. These findings reinforce the critical role of job stability and socio-economic security in suicide prevention.

Experts argue that targeted interventions — including job guarantee schemes, financial literacy programs, and mental health support for underutilized workers — could mitigate these risks.

Dr. Tony LaMontagne of Deakin University emphasizes that the workplace itself, not the worker, is often the issue. He stresses that structural reforms ensuring fair pay, predictable hours, and safe working environments are more effective than placing the burden on individuals to “cope better.”

Construction Sector

Among all industries, the construction sector exhibits the most alarming suicide statistics. According to Safe Work Australia, while construction is the third most dangerous industry in terms of physical injuries, it far surpasses others in psychological toll.

The suicide rate among construction workers stands at 26.6 per 100,000, nearly double that of other employed Australian men and five to six times higher than deaths from onsite incidents. On average, 190 construction workers die by suicide annually — a figure that dwarfs the number of fatalities from accidents involving machinery or falls.

Several intertwined factors drive this crisis:

• Job insecurity and transient contracts, especially among lower-skilled laborers and apprentices.
• Long working hours, frequent travel, and separation from family support networks.
• Cultural norms that discourage vulnerability, particularly in male-dominated workplaces (88% of workers in the sector are men).
• Substance misuse and chronic pain, often used as coping mechanisms for both physical strain and emotional distress.

Programs such as MATES in Construction, launched in 2008, have played a pivotal role in reducing stigma and fostering peer support. This initiative has trained over 300,000 workers and established 22,000 volunteer “connectors” who provide immediate support and link workers to professional help. Evaluations indicate a 3% annual decline in suicide rates within the sector from 2001 to 2019, double the rate of decline among other male occupations. Despite this progress, experts like Greg Jennings of Beyond Blue warn that cultural barriers — the “harden up” mentality — remain deeply entrenched.

Institutional and Custodial Suicides

While workplace suicides attract public attention, custodial suicides in Australian prisons represent a silent epidemic. Recent investigations by The Guardian Australia revealed that 64 prisoners have died by hanging from known ligature points that authorities had long been aware of but failed to remove.

The Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre in Brisbane alone recorded 10 such deaths over two decades. Coroners had repeatedly recommended the removal of hanging points, yet bureaucratic inertia and cost-cutting delayed reforms.

The issue is particularly severe among Indigenous inmates, who are overrepresented in custody and face systemic disadvantages including trauma, substance abuse, and poor access to mental health care.

The federal Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland, described the continuing deaths as “deeply concerning,” urging states to accelerate the removal of ligature points. Experts contend that beyond physical redesign, custodial environments require comprehensive psychological support, culturally sensitive interventions, and rigorous monitoring of at-risk individuals.

Sectoral Comparison and Key Insights

This comparison highlights how socio-economic context and workplace culture strongly shape suicide risk. While construction and unemployment-linked suicides dominate male statistics, female suicide rates, though lower, have been gradually rising — particularly among young women facing precarious employment and housing stress.

Mental health professionals emphasize that suicide prevention must evolve beyond crisis response. Dr. Simon Tyler, a psychologist and former construction worker, notes that stoicism — once considered a masculine virtue — becomes dangerous when it prevents men from seeking help. “When it comes to mental health and suicide, stoicism and self-reliance are the worst things you can lean on, especially at crisis point,” he explains.

Experts call for multi-tiered interventions:

• Structural reforms – Improve job security, workplace safety, and equitable wages.
• Cultural change – Challenge stigma around vulnerability in male-dominated sectors.
• Early detection – Train supervisors and peers to recognize warning signs.
• Accessible mental health services – Embed counseling and peer-support programs in high-risk industries.
• Policy continuity – Ensure coordination between federal and state initiatives to prevent lapses like those seen in prisons.

Australia’s suicide rate may appear stable on paper, but disaggregated data reveal deep structural inequities. While national prevention programs have yielded modest progress, the psychological cost of economic instability, insecure work, and institutional neglect remains high. Suicide is not merely an outcome of individual despair but a symptom of broader socio-economic stressors.

Reducing this toll requires sustained government investment, corporate accountability, and cultural transformation across industries. Whether in construction sites, correctional cells, or corporate offices, the fight against suicide begins with recognizing that prevention is as much about social justice and workplace dignity as it is about mental health awareness.