Mental health in regional Victoria: Shocking extent of suicide laid bare

The Weekly Times looks at the regional and rural findings from the Victorian Royal Commission into mental health, and the first plans for the regions with the most alarming statistics.

The annual suicide rate was about 40 per cent higher in regional Victoria between 2009 and 2018 compared to Melbourne. Picture: File

THE shocking extent of suicide in regional Victoria has been laid bare in a final report from the Royal Commission into the state’s mental health system.

The annual suicide rate was about 40 per cent higher in regional Victoria between 2009 and 2018 compared to Melbourne, data from the Coroners Court of Victoria shows.

The rate of suicide among men aged 35-54 years was about 60 per cent higher than in Melbourne, while the rate of self-harm related emergency department presentations between 2013 and 2018 was about 30 per cent higher than in Melbourne.

In response to the Commission’s final report released last week, key regional areas were called out by the government as needing priority attention and will be among the first to get new mental health and wellbeing services – by the end of 2022.

These include Benalla, which had the highest per capita suicide rate between 2011-2020, Latrobe Valley, which recorded one of the highest rates of mental health presentations to emergency departments, and Whittlesea due to ongoing mental health issues linked to the Black Saturday bushfires.

Greater Geelong, which consistently has higher-than-state-averages for self-harm presentations per capita, will also be a priority site.

Victorian Mental Health Minister James Merlino said it was about treating people early in the community, “rather than too late in hospital”.

“It will take time, but these new localised mental health services will provide better coverage and easier access to services for Victorians, no matter where they live,” he said.

The Royal Commission reported the following factors could be linked to high suicide rates across regional Victoria:

PROXIMITYTO SUICIDE: People with close proximity to suicide (geography, relationship or shared experiences) are more at risk of suicide themselves. This may increase the risk for people in small and isolated communities.

FARMING: Research into farmers who have died by suicide suggests farmers’ familiarity with risk and pain, the distress of needing to euthanise animals during disaster, and high levels of pressure all contribute to suicide.

FIREARMS: Farmers have greater access to firearms and fear of removal may stop them from seeking help for mental distress.

TRAUMATIC EVENTS: The effect of bushfires, drought, floods and the coronavirus pandemic.

DIVERSE COMMUNITIES: Aboriginal people are about three times more likely to experience high or very high levels of psychological distress than non-Aboriginal Victorians.

Census data from 2011 showed about 54 per cent of Aboriginal Victorians live in regional areas.

LQBTIQ+: National research indicated LGBTIQ+ people residing in rural areas were likely to be at high risk of suicide.

AGE: Many people choose to retire to rural and regional locations, and earlier life trauma or other mental health and wellbeing needs can sometimes emerge later in life.

ACCESS TO SERVICES: People living in regional Victoria face additional barriers to consistent access to services compared to those in Melbourne.

STIGMA: There is reluctance to seek help for fear of judgment or embarrassment in rural towns, particularly among young people and men.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE: Rural and regional communities face higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage, which can negatively affect mental health. Eight of the 10 most disadvantaged local government areas in Victoria are in regional areas.

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