Suicide trends in Australia, 1901-1985: an analysis of sex differentials

This paper analyzes trends in the male-female suicide ratio in Australia, using data for the period 1901-1985. The main finding of the paper is that modernization, as measured by an index composed of the female participation rate in the labor force and the urbanization rate, is positively related to the male-female suicide ratio. This is contrary to an earlier finding by Stack and Danigelis (1985), who reported an inverse relationship between these two variables. This finding is shown to be due to the fact that no correction was made for trend. When the data series are corrected for trend, a significant positive relationship is found between modernization and the male-female suicide ratio in Australia. Another finding of the paper is that the female suicide rate in Australia has been falling significantly since the mid-1960s. This is also at variance with Stack and Danigelis's hypothesis that as modernization proceeds, the female suicide rate rises. We discuss reasons for this in the Australian context.