Intentional self-harm hospitalisations by remoteness areas Print this page

Understanding the geographical distribution of hospitalisations due to intentional self-harm based on patients’ area of usual residence (see Technical notes for more information) can help target suicide prevention activities to areas in need.

Are people in regional and remote areas at greater risk of intentional self-harm hospitalisations?

In 2021–22:

• residents of Very Remote areas recorded a rate of 193 hospitalisations per 100,000 population, nearly twice that of residents of Major cities, which recorded the lowest rate (97 hospitalisations per 100,000 population)
• two-thirds of intentional self-harm hospitalisations were residents of Major cities (66%)
• young people aged 15–19 had the highest rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations in each remoteness area
• the highest rate of intentional self-harm hospitalisations overall was in the 15-19 age group in Remote areas (608 hospitalisations per 100,000 population), followed by the same age group in Outer Regional areas (566).

A similar pattern was seen with deaths by suicide as age-standardised suicide rates tended to increase with remoteness of place of residence Suicide by remoteness areas.

How have rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations changed for remoteness areas?

Between 2012–13 and 2021–22:

• overall rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations increased in Very Remote areas (from 172 to 193 hospitalisations per 100,000 population) and Remote areas (from 146 per 100,000 population to 160)
• rates fell in Inner Regional areas (from 125 to 103), and Major Cities (111 to 97) over this period while rates initially increased in Outer Regional areas from 136 hospitalisations per 100,000 population in 2012-13 to 174 in 2016-17, and then steadily decreased to 133 in 2021–22  
• the highest increases in rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations occurred in those aged 15–19 in Outer Regional, Remote and Very remote areas (367 hospitalisations per 100,000 population in 2012–13 to 566 in 2021-22, 465 to 608 and 428 to 538 hospitalisations per 100,000 population, respectively). Outside of the 15–19-year-old age group, the highest increase since 2012–13 was among the 50–54-year-old age group in Remote areas (85 hospitalisations per 100,000 population in 2012–13 to 201 in 2021–22)
• the largest decrease in rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations was among the 35–39-year-old age group in Outer Regional areas (from 256 hospitalisations per 100,000 population in 2012–13 to 147 in 2021–22).