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The Epidemiology of Māori Suicide in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

Nicole M. Coupe
Nicole M. Coupe*
Affiliation:
University of Auckland
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Abstract

Suicide is a Māori Public Health Issue. Suicide rates in Aotearoa/New Zealand are amongst the highest in OECD countries in the 15-24 year age group and second only to Hungary in other age groups (WHO, 1996; Disley & Coggan, 1996). Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people under the age of 25 years in Aotearoa/New Zealand and a major public health problem (Coggan, 1997). Approximatel, 540 New Zealanders kill themselves each year (Rose, Hatcher, & Koelmeyer, 1999). The total Māori suicide rate (per 100 000) increased to 17.5 in 1997, compared to non-Māori (13.1), and the Māori youth suicide rate (33.9) far exceeded the equivalent non-Māori rate (24.3), reflecting the disparity between Māori and non-Māori (Ministry of Health, 1997). This paper aims to present epidemiological data on Māori suicide and then use the existing literature to discuss possible reasons for the high Māori rate.

Type
Articles
Information
South Pacific Journal of Psychology , Volume 12 , 2000 , pp. 1 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © University of Papua New Guinea and Massey University, New Zealand/Aotearoa 2000

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