The crude Tasmanian death rate for 2003 was 8.3 deaths per 1,000 population, the highest of all states and territories.
However, the standardised Tasmanian death rate (which allows a comparison of death rates between populations with different age structures) was 7.4 per 1,000 standard population, which was the second highest after the Northern Territory (9.0). The Australian standardised death rate for 2003 was 6.4 deaths per 1,000 standard population.
From the relatively high rates of death in infancy (Age 0), age-specific death rates sharply decline through childhood (See Table below "Age-Specific Death Rates - 2003").
AGE-SPECIFIC DEATH RATES - 2003
|
| Males
| | Females
|
| Tasmania | Australia | | Tasmania | Australia |
| | | | | |
Age (years) | deaths per '000 males | deaths per '000 males | | deaths per '000 females | deaths per '000 females |
|
0 | 8.1 | 5.4 | | 5.7 | 4.3 |
1-4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | | 0.2 | 0.2 |
5-14 | 0.1 | 0.1 | | 0.2 | 0.1 |
15-24 | 0.9 | 0.8 | | 0.1 | 0.3 |
25-34 | 1.4 | 1.0 | | 0.5 | 0.4 |
35-44 | 1.9 | 1.5 | | 1.0 | 0.8 |
45-54 | 3.0 | 3.0 | | 2.1 | 1.8 |
55-64 | 9.1 | 7.5 | | 5.0 | 4.5 |
65-74 | 25.7 | 21.3 | | 15.3 | 11.9 |
75-84 | 64.1 | 58.0 | | 44.7 | 37.6 |
85 and over | 184.9 | 159.4 | | 143.5 | 132.6 |
|
Source: Deaths, Australia (cat. no. 3302.0).
In 2003, Tasmania's lowest age-specific death rates (ASDRs) were experienced by males aged 1-4 years and 5–14 years and females aged 15–24 years, with ASDRs of 0.1 deaths per 1,000 population. Generally throughout the life span, ASDRs are higher for males. However, the difference between the sexes becomes more prominent after the age of 64 years.