CANBERRA: Government data has unveiled that self-harm hospitalization rates are three times higher for Australian Teenagers as compared to adults in the country. Australian teenagers face a disproportionately high risk of hospitalization due to self-harm compared to adults. In the span of 12 months leading up to June 2022, 6,612 children and adolescents aged 0-18 were admitted to hospitals for intentional self-harm, as reported by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Among these cases, females comprised the majority, accounting for 82.8 percent of hospitalizations. Notably, over 95 percent of these hospitalizations occurred among individuals aged 16 to 18. Within this age group, the rate of hospitalization due to intentional self-harm was alarmingly high at 340.7 per 100,000 people, which is 3.4 times greater than the rate among the adult population (99.4 per 100,000 people).
Looking at the broader picture of hospitalizations for injuries among Australians aged 0 to 18, the report identified falls as the primary cause, making up 32.6 percent of the total cases. Additionally, contact with objects was another significant cause. Fractures emerged as the most prevalent type of injury across all cases.
In sum, the data underscores the urgent need for attention and support for mental health issues, particularly among Australian teenagers, to address the concerning prevalence of self-harm.
