Suicide in the Northern Territory, 1981-2002.

Objective: To examine trends in suicide in the Northern Territory between 1981 and 2002, and demographic and other characteristics of people completing suicide in the Top End region in 2000-2002.
Design: Retrospective descriptive analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics death registration data and data from the NT Coroner's Office.
Setting and Participants: All residents of the NT who completed suicide between 1981 and 2002.
Main Outcome Measures: Changes in the age-adjusted and age- and sex-specific rates of suicide in Indigenous and non-Indigenous NT residents over time; prior diagnosis of mental illness and use of alcohol or other drugs by those completing suicide.
Results: The age-adjusted suicide rate in the NT increased significantly between 1981 and 2002 (P < 0.001). Over this period, the rates among the Indigenous and non-Indigenous male populations increased by 800% (P < 0.05) and 30% (P > 0.05), respectively. Indigenous males aged under 45 years and non-Indigenous males aged 65 years and over were most at risk. In the Top End, a history of diagnosed mental illness was present in 49% of suicide cases, and misuse of alcohol or other drugs around the time of death was associated with 72% of suicide cases.
Conclusion: Our study highlights the rising rate of suicide in the NT and suggests that suicide prevention initiatives need to specifically target Indigenous and non-Indigenous males in the age groups most at risk.