Industry fund Tasplan will increase its focus on mental health awareness on the back of a statistical analysis of its deaths claims experience.
The analysis conducted on the death claims for the period 1 January 2002 to 30 November 2009 revealed that 9 per cent of all claims were attributed to suicide and 23 per cent of all claims were listed as cause of death unknown (CDU).
A further 8 per cent of death claims were related to car accidents.
"A disturbing factor in relation to these statistics is the number of car accidents and CDUs, of which any could be suicide related . there is evidence to support the fact that there is increasing linkage that a number of motor vehicle accidents are caused by suicide," Tasplan chief executive Neil Cassidy said.
The research also revealed suicides had increased over the past two years, with one recorded death claim being linked to suicide in 2007 and a total of 30 during 2008 and 2009.
"Tasmania has the highest incidence of suicide in Australia and you see that Tasplan suicides have increased considerably over the last 24 months. It is difficult to determine a single reason for this increase, but it does coincide with the global financial crisis and drought conditions," Cassidy said.
As a result of this, Tasplan is actively raising awareness of mental illness though speaking engagements, business lunches, workplace visits and involvement with the Suicide Prevention Committee.
Tasplan is not the only fund upping its involvement with suicide awareness.
This week, a joint initiative by Lifeline Australia and the MTAA Superannuation Fund won an Australian Safer Communities Award for its ReadtheSigns campaign.
The campaign is aimed at promoting help-seeking and suicide prevention among members of MTAA Superannuation and employers in the motor trades.
