AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2018) Incidence of suicide in serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel: detailed analysis 2001–2015, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 25 June 2026.
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This report examines the incidence of suicide among serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel in 2001–2015, and identifies characteristics that may be associated with suicide risk. Ex-serving men aged 18–29 have a higher suicide rate compared with Australian men of the same age. Ex-serving men of all ages who were medically discharged, or discharged in ranks other than commissioned officer, were at higher risk of suicide than their peers.
325 certified suicide deaths in 2001–2015 of people with at least 1 day of Australian Defence Force service from 2001
The suicide rate in 2002–2015 was 14% higher among ex-serving men than all Australian men, after adjusting for age
Among those aged 18–29, ex-serving men had a significantly higher suicide rate in 2002–2015 than Australian men
Men discharged for medical reasons had significantly higher odds of suicide than men discharged voluntarily
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