CANBERRA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Former Australian Defense Force (ADF) members were almost twice as likely to die by suicide in 2023 than the general population, according to a government report published on Tuesday.
Government agency the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) published its eighth annual report on suicides among ADF veterans, revealing that 73 current and former members died by suicide in 2023.
Between 1997 and 2023, 1,840 serving and ex-serving ADF members died by suicide, the report said. Of those, 308 were serving in the ADF at the time of their deaths, either on a permanent or reserve basis, and 1,532 were ex-serving members.
The AIHW said that the suicide rate during 2021-23 was 26.4 deaths per 100,000 people for ex-serving males, 16.0 for permanent males, 15.2 for reserve males and 10.0 for ex-serving females.
Data previously released by the AIHW said that the suicide rate among the general Australian population was 18.0 deaths per 100,000 people for males in 2023 and 5.8 for females.
"Suicide has a profound and lasting impact -- deeply affecting families and loved ones and sending ripple effects throughout Australia's defense and veteran community," AIHW spokesperson Paul Pham said in a media release.
The report said that suicide accounts for the deaths of 42 percent of ex-serving males and 44 percent of ex-serving females younger than 30, compared to 30 percent and 22 percent, respectively, among the general under-30 population.
A landmark three-year royal commission into defense and veteran suicides, which handed down its final report in September 2024, found that one-third of ex-ADF personnel experienced high to very high levels of psychological distress, and made 122 recommendations for change.
The Department of Defense said on Tuesday that it is prioritizing reform activities relating to mitigating health and safety concerns for ADF personnel. ■