Suicide in Australia--a comparison with suicide in England and Wales.

This study reports changes of suicide rate in Australia and in England and Wales in the twenty years up to 1976. Rates in both places reached a peak in 1963, related to increases in poisoning as a means of suicide. Decreases since then can be attributed partly to reduced likelihood of death after inhalation of domestic gas or after ingestion of poisons. There has been an increase in suicide deaths among younger people, but a decrease among older age groups. The two countries have patterns of suicide which are similar in many respects, the most striking difference being the frequency with which firearms are used by male suicides in Australia. There is good reason to believe that variation in availability of a means of suicide is the factor which has most effect on rates of suicide, though cultural attitude towards each method also is an important determinant of how much it will be used for suicide.