AUSTRALIAN men are far more likely than women to die from an injury, despite rates having decreased for men since the turn of the century.
A REPORT from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says 61 of 100,000 male deaths were due to injuries in 2009/10 compared with 37 deaths from 100,000 women.
Though the rate of male injury deaths had declined over the decade to 2009/10, men heavily outnumbered women in many death categories. They accounted for three-quarters of the year’s 2247 suicides and two-thirds of the 240 homicides. Report author Professor James Harrison said Australian men had suffered higher suicide rates than women for most of the last century. Nevertheless, he said there was “limited good news in a relative steady decline” in male suicides but “bad news in that rates are still very high”. Overall, the number of Australians dead from injuries declined by six out of 100,000 over the decade prior to 2009/10. Prof Harrison puts that largely down to a continuing decline in road deaths, especially amongst men. Indigenous Australians were two to three times more likely than other Australians to die from injuries and they were more likely to die tragically young. Half of indigenous deaths occurred in people between 25 and 44. Among other Australians, people over 65 were three times more likely to die of injury. The rates of injury deaths was much lower among indigenous people over 65. The report titled Trends in Injury Deaths, Australia: 1999/00 to 2009/10 took into account deaths from transport, poisoning, falls, thermal injury, suicides, homicides and other unintentional injuries. * Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.