CANBERRA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The suicide rate among Australian Defense Force (ADF) veterans is declining, but remains significantly higher than the general population, according to a government report.
The report released on Tuesday by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that 1,907 current and former members of the ADF died by suicide between 1997 and 2024, with ex-serving members accounting for 1,592 of those deaths.
From 1997 to 2024, it said that ex-serving males had a suicide rate of 30.5 deaths per 100,000 people, which was 24 percent higher than males in the general population.
Among ex-serving females, the suicide rate was 92 percent higher than the general female population at 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people.
When separated into three-year intervals, the report said that the suicide rate for ex-serving males and females has declined significantly.
The landmark Royal Commission into Defense and Veteran Suicide, which handed down its final report in 2024, found that one in three former ADF personnel experienced high to very high levels of psychological distress.
It made 122 recommendations, including that the federal government establishes a new agency to support veterans transitioning from military to civilian life. ■