Suicide & self-harm monitoring
Intentional self-harm hospitalisations by states and territories
States and territories
Hospitalisations data for patients with intentional self–harm injuries includes those with and without suicidal intent. For further information see Technical notes.
How do intentional self-harm hospitalisations vary across states and territories?
In 2023–24:
- There were over 24,000 hospitalisations due to intentional self-harm in Australia, with the highest proportion in Queensland (29%).
- The rate of intentional self-harm hospitalisations varied between states and territories in 2023–24, with the Northern Territory reporting the highest rate (157 hospitalisations per 100,000 population), which is 1.7 times the national rate (90 hospitalisations per 100,000 population).
- The lowest rate was recorded in New South Wales (56 hospitalisations per 100,000 population).
Reporting is based on a patient’s usual residence, not where they received treatment.
The line graph shows rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations from 2008–09 to 2023–24 for each state and territory and the total for Australia. Users can also choose to view age-specific rates, numbers and proportions of hospitalisations for intentional self-harm by states and territories by sex and specific age groups.
Changes over time
How have rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations changed over time by state and territory?
Between 2008–09 to 2023–24, rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory were consistently higher than the national rate.
- Over this period, the highest rates of hospitalisations due to intentional self-harm in Australia were generally in the Northern Territory. The highest rate was 267 per 100,000 population in 2018–19 and lowest was 147 per 100,000 population in 2009–10.
- The largest decrease was seen in females aged 25–44 in Tasmania (313 per 100,000 population in 2008–09 to 122 in 2023–24) and males in aged 25–44 in the Northern Territory (317 in 2008–09 to 188 in 2023–24).
The most notable changes between 2008–09 and 2023–24 were seen in young females.
- Overall, rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations increased until 2020-21, after which there has been a steady decline across all jurisdictions with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory. In Queensland, the rate increased for females in this age group from 158 per 100,000 population in 2008–09 to 247 in 2023–24).
For males aged 24 and below, the rates of intentional self-harm hospitalisations:
- increased from 90 hospitalisations per 100,000 population in 2008–09 to 109 in 2023–24 in the Northern Territory.
- increased from 68 in 2008–09 and peaked at 128 in 2020–21 then decreased to 77 in 2023–24 in Queensland.
Variation in hospital admission policy and practices between states and territories may have contributed to differences in the reporting of hospitalisation data, for further information see the data quality statement.
Between 2008–09 and 2023–24:
- New South Wales reported an increase in the rate of hospitalisations due to intentional self-harm from 109 per 100,000 in 2008–09 to 130 in 2016–17, before decreasing steadily to 56 in 2023–24.
- Queensland reported an increase in the rate of intentional self-harm hospitalisations between 2008–09 and 2016–17 (133 and 182 per 100,000 hospitalisations), which then peaked again in 2021–22 (183) before decreasing in 2023–24 (127).
- Between 2011–12 and 2012–13, Victoria reported a substantial decrease in the rate of hospitalisations due to intentional self-harm from 120 to 78 hospitalisations per 100,000. This may reflect a change in Victoria's emergency department admission policy, for further information see the data quality statement.
Download data tables
Supplementary tables
Hospitalisations for intentional self-harm 2023–24 – National Hospital Morbidity Database