Summary
This is the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) eighth annual update report on suicide among Australian Defence Force (ADF) veterans (current and ex-serving ADF members, see Box1). This report includes veterans with at least one day of ADF service from 1985 to 2023, with deaths by suicide monitored from 1997 to 2023. The report is now presented in a data visualisation panel format to emphasise suicide trends over time.
AIHW acknowledges that the data presented in this report represent human lives and we acknowledge all of those serving and ex-serving ADF members who have died by suicide. We also acknowledge all of those who have been affected by suicide, including their families. We are committed to ensuring our work continues to inform improvements in suicide awareness and prevention.
Further information about the included veteran population and the suicide monitoring period can be found in the Technical notes.
This veterans suicide monitoring report contains counts and rates of suicide. This information is presented by:
- Overview (Service status)
- Age
- Service
- Reason for separation
- Length of service
- Time since separation
- Rank
- Prior service status.
The Leading causes of death and overall suicide rates section presents additional information on suicide.
Box 1: Who are veterans in this report?
The term ‘veteran’ traditionally described former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel who were deployed to serve in war or war-like environments. Veterans are now considered people who have any experience in the ADF including permanent, reserve, and former (ex-serving) personnel (Tehan 2017).
- Permanent: ADF members serving in a full-time capacity in the Royal Australian Navy (Navy), Australian Army (Army) or the Royal Australian Air Force (Air Force) on or after 1 January 1985, and serving in a permanent capacity on 31 December 2023 or on the date they died.
- Reserve: ADF members who were in the reserve forces for the Navy, Army, or the Air Force on or after 1 January 1985, and were in the reserve forces on 31 December 2023 or when they died. Many members leaving full-time service transition to the reserves for a minimum of 5 years. The service status ‘reserve’ includes members with a wide range of relationships to the ADF. It includes personnel who have transitioned from full time service as well as those who joined and served solely in reserve capacity. Some reserve members may serve with enduring regular employment (active reserves), while others may not render service in any capacity (standby reserves).
- Ex-serving: ADF members who were in the permanent or reserve services on or after 1 January 1985 and separated from Defence on or before 31 December 2023.
Veterans suicide data trends
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The suicide rate for ex-serving males has been generally declining from 2014–2016 to 2021–2023 (33.3 to 26.4 deaths per 100,000 population per year) *
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The suicide rate for ex-serving females has been generally declining from 2015–2017 to 2021–2023 (23.4 to 10.0 deaths per 100,000 population per year) *
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The suicide rate for permanent and reserve males shows no clear trend
Note: * Deaths data for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 are preliminary and are subject to change as part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revisions process. For example, some deaths currently coded as ‘undetermined intent’ could later be determined by a coroner as ‘intentional self-harm’ (or vice-versa).
Leading causes of death and overall suicide rates
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For ex-serving males, the suicide rate is 30.9 per 100,000 population per year (1.25 times more likely to die by suicide than all Australian males). However, rates vary within ex-serving subpopulations
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For ex-serving females, the suicide rate is 14.8 per 100,000 population per year (1.98 times more likely to die by suicide than all Australian females). However, rates vary within ex-serving subpopulations
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The suicide rate for ex-serving males who separated voluntarily is similar to the rate for all Australian males as measured by the age-adjusted suicide rate #
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The suicide rate for ex-serving males who separated involuntarily for medical reasons is almost 3 times the rate of those who separated voluntarily #
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The suicide rate for ex-serving males who separated involuntarily for ‘Retention not in service interest’ reasons is 2.4 times the rate of those who separated voluntarily #
Note: # Summary statistics relating to separation reason are limited to ex-serving ADF members who have separated since 2003 due to data limitations. These members comprise 45% of all ex-serving members who have served since 1985.
Tehan D 2017. Joint communique – Veterans’ Ministers’ meeting. Media release by Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, 8 November, Canberra. Viewed 2021.