The gap remains: NHMRC research funding for suicide and self-harm, 2000–2014

To the Editor: In an article on National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding for the National Health Priority Areas, Christensen and colleagues concluded that there was no narrowing of the gap in the proportion of funding provided to mental health research from 2001 to 2010.1 In particular, NHMRC funding per disability-adjusted life-year was the lowest for suicide and self-harm in comparison with other mental health categories and did not increase over 2001–2009.

Analysis of NHMRC research funding for suicide and self-harm in comparison with other causes of high morbidity and mortality in Australia from 2000 to 2014 does not indicate that much progress has been made, and the gap still remains. Intentional self-injury in Australia ranked higher as the leading cause of death in 2013 than did skin cancers and accidental falls (14th, 16th and 18th leading cause, respectively).2 In 2013, suicide claimed more lives (2520) than either skin cancers (2209), accidental falls (1920) or transport accidents (1428); and the standardised suicide rate considerably exceeded mortality rates for these causes of death (10.7 compared with 8.3, 6.7 and 6.0 per 100 000 population, respectively).2 Yet NHMRC research funding for suicide and self-harm from 2000 to 2014 was lower than that for all skin cancers, falls and vehicle accidents (Box).3-5

Over this period, the NHMRC invested $17 407 912 in suicide research in the mental health category, funding 41 projects, including 21 project grants, four research fellowships and three early career fellowships.3 We have observed an evolution and a shift in the types of funding available and granted. NHMRC project grants to create new knowledge, which dominated in the early 2000s, have received less and less funding over time, suggesting that the complexity of suicide research may be out of step with NHMRC competitive criteria. On the other hand, funding opportunities for grants to build Australia's future capability (such as research, early career and career development fellowships) have increased, including fellowships to the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention (CRESP). Although only in operation for 3 years, funding for this new centre ($2 564 924 for 2012–2017) accounts for almost 10% of the total NHMRC actual expenditure. Three of five NHMRC project grants over 2013–2014 were awarded to CRESP researchers.

However, this investment is simply not enough. One centre of research excellence is not sufficient to make a serious dent in the problem of suicide and self-harm in Australia. All the while, we are losing seven people a day to suicide, a fact that requires an immediate response. The outrage associated with deaths from HIV/AIDS led to social action and subsequent science that has reduced the impact of this disease, allowing people to live meaningful lives. We need to do the same for suicide, which takes the lives of our productive and young people every day.

National Health and Medical Research Council funding in selected research areas, 2000–20143-5