Suicide in the multiethnic elderly population of Australia, 1979-1990.

Australia is a multiethnic society with 25% of its elderly population born outside the country. Rates and methods, gender, and country of birth are given for all suicides aged 65 and over in Australia during the 12-year period of 1979-1990. There was a marked heterogeneity in rates and methods of suicide among the various migrant groups. The data also showed that the suicide rates of migrants were mostly higher than in their country of origin. Migrants born in countries with high suicide rates generally had high rates in Australia, and vice versa. Possible reasons for this finding are discussed. Factors influencing rates and methods of suicide in elderly migrants appeared to have much in common with factors operating in migrants of all age groups.