Suicide of Australians during the Vietnam War

Objectives: National suicide rates fall during times of war. This fits with the notion of the population coming together against a common foe. But, what happens in the case of a war which is not fully supported, which draws the population and families apart? We consider this question by examining the Australian suicide rates during the divisive Vietnam War.

Methods: We graphed and examined the Australian suicide figures for 1921–2010. Results: We found clear evidence of a decrease in the suicide rate for World War II (consistent with other studies), but a marked elevation of suicide during the Vietnam War.

Conclusions: The elevation of the Australian suicide rate during the Vietnam War is consistent with Durkheim’s social integration model – when social integration is lessened, either by individual characteristics or societal characteristics, the risk of suicide rises.