Suicide statistics released later today

The Chief Coroner is due to release the country's suicide statistics this afternoon - but warns they shouldn't be compared to other countries. Photo / Thinkstock

New Zealand's chief coroner has warned people to take care when comparing the country's suicide statistics with other countries.

The warning comes ahead of the release this afternoon of provisional figures for self-inflicted deaths between July 2010 and June this year.

Chief Coroner Judge Neil MacLean told Radio New Zealand said people should take care when comparing the data as suicide statistics produced by many other countries was not as accurate as in New Zealand.

This was often due to families, either for cultural or legal reasons, not reporting a death as suicide.

A Mental Health Commission report released last week showed New Zealand's suicide rate for girls aged 15 to 19 was the highest in the OECD.

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- NZPA