High suicide numbers in the children of Vietnam veterans is
likely to be a continuing problem, according to a report released
today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
A 1999 Institute report confirmed that suicide rates in the
children of Vietnam veterans are three times that of the general
community.
The latest report, Suicide in Vietnam Veterans
Children, commissioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs,
shows that this figure, and associated patterns of suicide,
remained unchanged from 1988 to 1997.
Head of the AIHWs Health Registers and Cancer Monitoring Unit,
Dr Paul Jelfs, says that on the evidence we have, if current
suicide patterns remain steady, there is a risk of a substantial
number of suicides among the children of Vietnam veterans in the
coming decade that will be well above what would be expected in the
general community.
A large group of veterans children is now moving into the 20 to
29 year age group, which has a higher suicide risk in the community
than younger age groups.
A few weeks ago the Institutes National Injury and Surveillance
Unit confirmed that there had been a substantial increase in
suicide rates in the general community in the 20-29 year age group
over the last 20 years.
So, essentially, we are looking at a specific high-risk group
within a high-risk age group in the community.
A range of measures has already been set up by the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged
Care to deal with this problem, including extended access to
counselling, provision of crisis care, education and access to
programs to assist healthy family functioning.
Our new figures confirm that this assistance is well-placed.
An estimated 230 children of Vietnam veterans suicided between
the end of the Vietnam conflict and 1997, with 80% of these being
male.
Counselling assistance and information is available 24-hours a
day to Vietnam veterans and their families through the Vietnam
Veterans Counselling Service telephone: NSW 1800 043 503; far north
Queensland 1800 019 332; anywhere else in Australia 1800 011
046.
7 August 2000
Further information:
, AIHW, mob. 04 0792
8523.
Media enquiries: Nigel Harding, AIHW, tel. 02 6244
1025.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.