3303.0 - Causes of Death, Australia, 2009 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/05/2011   
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Contents >> Leading Causes of Death >> Leading causes of death by gender

LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH BY GENDER

Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25) were the leading cause of death for both males and females in 2009, with 12,047 and 10,476 deaths respectively. This reflects a sex ratio of 115 male deaths per 100 female deaths.

The remaining leading causes of death vary between the sexes, in part due to the incidence of gender-specific diseases, such as prostate or ovarian cancer. However, other causes which may not be gender-specific also showed variance between the sexes. Examples of these included:

  • Trachea and lung cancers (C33-34), for which there were 157 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47), for which there were 116 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Strokes (I60-I69), for which there were 67 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Dementia and Alzheimer's disease (F01, F03, G30), for which there were 51 male deaths for every 100 female deaths.

Those causes where a high proportion of deaths were males included:
  • Intentional self-harm (Suicide, (X60-X84)) - 76.6%
  • Trachea and lung cancers (C33-C34) - 61.1%
  • Blood and lymph cancers (including leukaemia) (C81-C96) - 57.1%
  • Colon and rectum cancers (C18-C21) - 55.4%
  • Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47) - 53.7%
  • Ischaemic heart disease (I20-I25) - 53.5%.

2.2 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Males - 2009(b)(c)
Underlying Cause of Death
Rank
Males
Total
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
12 047
22 523
Trachea and lung cancer (C33-C34)
2
4 761
7 786
Strokes (I60-I69)
3
4 514
11 220
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
4
3 209
5 978
Prostate cancer (C61)
5
3 111
3 111
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
6
2 786
8 277
Colon and rectum cancer (C18-C21)
7
2 253
4 065
Blood and lymph cancer (including leukaemia) (C81-C96)
8
2 175
3 810
Diabetes (E10-E14)
9
2 120
4 170
Suicide (X60-X84)(d)
10
1 631
2 130
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of deaths for all deaths registered in 2009 based on the WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Note 40 for further information.
(b) Causes of death data for 2009 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Technical Note: Causes of Death Revisions and Explanatory Notes 28-32.
(c) See Explanatory Notes 73-84 for further information on specific issues relating to 2009 data.
(d) Excludes Sequelae of suicide (Y87.0) as per the WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. Care needs to be taken in interpreting figures relating to suicide. See Explanatory Notes 80-83.


Those causes where a high proportion of deaths were females included:
  • Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30) - 66.3%
  • Strokes (I60-I69) - 59.8%
  • Heart failure (I50-I51) - 58.6%
  • Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N39) - 54.9%.

2.3 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Females - 2009(b)(c)
Underlying Cause of Death
Rank
Females
Total
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
10 476
22 523
Strokes (I60-I69)
2
6 706
11 220
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
3
5 491
8 277
Trachea and lung cancer (C33-C34)
4
3 025
7 786
Breast cancer (C50)
5
2 772
2 799
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
6
2 769
5 978
Diabetes (E10-E14)
7
2 050
4 170
Heart failure (I50-I51)
8
1 884
3 214
Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N39)
9
1 818
3 312
Colon and rectum cancer (C18-C21)
10
1 812
4 065
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of deaths for all deaths registered in 2009 based on the WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Note 40 for further information.
(b) See Explanatory Notes 73-84 for further information on specific issues relating to 2009 data.
(c) Causes of death data for 2009 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Technical Note: Causes of Death Revisions and Explanatory Notes 28-32.





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