Abstract

Rates of suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have increased by 20–24% over the past decade. Understanding how protective and risk factors contribute to suicide is an important step to improve suicide prevention for Indigenous Australians.

There are many protective and risk factors that may contribute towards, or protect against, suicidal behaviour. Most of these factors are common to all Australians, but some are unique to Indigenous Australians. Although our understanding of suicide has been increasing, there is yet to be a comprehensive review of recent evidence of the contribution of protective and risk factors for suicide among Indigenous Australians.

This report outlines protective and risk factors that contribute to suicide among Indigenous Australians and the existing data collections and methods used for measuring protective and risk factors for suicide. It is important to use available data to explore the intersectional relationships between protective and risk factors that contribute to suicide among Indigenous Australians. Using data to understand why suicide prevalence varies by location and over time supports the ability for governments and communities to work together to implement evidence-based policies, interventions, and suicide prevention programs.