Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

First Nations people in Western Australia are dying by suicide at a devastating rate. Between 2014 and 2018, WA had the highest age-standardised rate of suicide among First Nations people in the country, with 37.9 deaths per 100,000. This is compared with an average of 23.7 deaths per 100,000 among indigenous populations across Australia, and 12.6 deaths per 100,000 among the non-indigenous population in 2017.

There were 383 registered deaths by suicide in Western Australia in 2018, representing 2.6% of total deaths state-wide and 12.6% of all suicide deaths in Australia. 285 were male, 98 were female and 39 were First Nations people. While there has been a slight decrease in deaths by suicide, Western Australia continues to have one of the highest suicide rates in the country.

Each death by suicide is an enduring tragedy for loved ones left behind.