title: Trends in hospital admissions involving suicidal behaviour in the Northern Territory, 2001-2013.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate trends in hospital admissions involving suicidal behaviour in the Northern Territory (NT) resident population over the period 2001-2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Estimates of age-standardised rates and average changes in the annual rate of hospital admissions involving suicidal behaviour were calculated by socio-demographic characteristics and types of suicidal behaviour.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall rates for Indigenous admissions were 2.7 times higher than non-Indigenous admissions and had increased by almost twice as much. While male and female rates of admission were similar for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents, the average annual change in rates was greater for Indigenous females (13.4%) compared to males (8.8%) and for non-Indigenous males (7.7%) compared to females (5.2%). Younger and middle-aged Indigenous admissions experienced increasing rates of admissions, whilst trends were similar across age groups for non-Indigenous admissions. Admissions with a diagnosis of suicidal ideation increased the most across all groups. Trends in intentional self-harm admissions differed according to Indigenous status and sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There have been substantial increases in hospital admissions involving suicidal behaviour in the NT, most markedly for Indigenous residents. Indigenous females and youth appear to be at increasing risk. The steep increase in suicidal ideation across all groups warrants further investigation.
authors: Research Associate, Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia bernard.leckning@menzies.edu.au.
authors: Bernard A
authors: BA
authors: Leckning
authors: Senior Epidemiologist, Health Gains Planning Branch, Department of Health, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors: Shu Qin
authors: SQ
authors: Li
authors: Research Fellow, Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Cunningham
authors: Director, Health Gains Planning Branch, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Guthridge
authors: Professor and Director, Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors: Gary
authors: G
authors: Robinson
authors: Associate Professor and Program Leader, Healing and Resilience, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors: Tricia
authors: T
authors: Nagel
authors: Professor and Head of Child Education and Development, Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Silburn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015876:Northern Territory / Q000453:epidemiology; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012737:Sex Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000208:ethnology / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Indigenous; Northern Territory; hospitals; suicidal behaviour