Self-harm doubles in young Australian women
Pastor Dale Morgan
Self-harm doubles in young Australian women*
June 04, 2008 04:52am
Article from: AAP
THE rate of hospitalisation for deliberate self-harm among young women
jumped by half in the decade to 2005-06, a new report has revealed.
While suicide rates and road deaths dropped, hospitalisation for
self-harm among people aged 12-24 increased by 43 per cent, according to
an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report released today.
Self-harm frequently involves cutting and poisoning but may also involve
hanging.
Some 51 per cent more females were hospitalised for self-harm in 2005-06
than in 1996-97, while the figure for males was up 27 per cent.
In 2005-06, 7299 young people were hospitalised for self-harm, a rate of
197 per 100,000 people.
Girls aged between 15-17 were the group most at risk, while the danger
for males increased in the 18-24 age group.
In 2005, 299 young people killed themselves, accounting for 14 per cent
of all suicides.
Young men were almost four times more likely to kill themselves than
young women.
Factors that can increase the risk of suicide or self-harm include
mental illness combined with drug use, a family history of suicide or
suicidal behaviour and low educational levels.
Indigenous people were twice as likely to self-harm than other
Australians, while young people living in remote areas had double the
self-harm rates as their metropolitan counterparts.
Suicide was the leading cause of injury related death among young
indigenous people, while for the non-indigenous population it was
transport accidents.
Beyondblue clinical adviser Michael Baigent said the jump in
hospitalisation rates for self-harm most likely reflected more early
intervention for depression and other mental illnesses.
"My impression is that more of these kids are being picked up and being
referred on to treatment," he said.
However, Associate Professor Baigent said other factors such as
increased pressure on teenagers to perform at school and rising body
image concerns may also have contributed to the rise.
He advised parents to be on the lookout for sustained changes in
behaviour in their teens such as withdrawal from friends, teariness and
concealment of arms.
The best way for parents to approach a child they fear may be
self-harming was in a calm, non-confrontational manner, he said.
A total of 86,032 young people were hospitalised with injuries in
2005-06, and 954 died from their injuries.
Young people were three times more likely than those aged over 25 to be
hospitalised for injuries sustained while under the influence of alcohol
or drugs.
An estimated six per cent of 18-24-year-olds had sustained their most
recent injury while under the influence of alcohol or another substance.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the statistics were frightening.
"Too many of our young people are winding up in hospital due to
injuries, and too many are dying," she said.
"We need to encourage a culture of individual responsibility and that
includes doing what we can to tackle binge drinking."