ILL-DEFINED CAUSES (R00-R99)
Ill-defined causes (R00-R99) accounted for 1,895 deaths registered in Australia in 2007, representing 1.4% of all registered deaths. This was an increase of 370 (24%) compared with 2006.
This increase could be attributed to the number of open coronial cases remaining on National Coronial Information System (NCIS) at the end of the ABS processing period. The majority of open cases for which no information was available at the end of processing have been coded to Other ill-defined and unspecified causes (R99). Deaths coded to this cause have increased 156 (14%) compared with 2006. For further information, see Technical Note: Coroner Certified Deaths. Deaths coded to Unattended Death (R98) decreased from 57 in 2006 to 16 in 2007. For further information, see Explanatory Note 70-71. Causes of Death for 2007 data is subject to revision. As a result some deaths currently coded to Ill-Defined Causes may be allocated to more specific codes. See Explanatory Notes 3 - 4 for further information.
In 2007, there were 71 deaths identified as being due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS, R95). This represented an increase from 2006, when 66 deaths were attributed to SIDS. In processing Causes of Death, the ABS will only code a death to SIDS if specifically mentioned on the death certificate. The number of open coronial cases could potentially include additional deaths which would be determined as SIDS deaths when closed. For further information, see Technical Note: Coroner Certified Deaths.
For the past 10 years, more males have died from SIDS than females. This has changed in 2007, with 34 male deaths compared to 37 female deaths. The majority of these deaths occurred in the period between 28 days and 1 year of age, with 59 infants in this age range with SIDS as the underlying cause of death in 2007. Again, this was consistent with previous years.
3.17 SELECTED UNDERLYING CAUSES(a), Ill-Defined Causes (R00-R99) - 2007(b)(c) |
|
 | | | MALES | FEMALES | PERSONS | PROPORTION OF ALL DEATHS |
| Cause of Death and ICD Code | no. | no. | no. | % |
|
| Ill-defined causes (R00-R99) | 1 081 | 814 | 1 895 | 1.4 |
| Symptoms and signs involving the circulatory and respiratory systems (R00-R09) | 66 | 94 | 160 | 0.1 |
| | Other symptoms and signs involving the circulatory and respiratory systems (R09) | 59 | 79 | 138 | 0.1 |
| General symptoms and signs (R50-R69) | 132 | 208 | 340 | 0.2 |
| | Malaise and fatigue (R53) | 14 | 24 | 38 | - |
| | Senility (R54) | 41 | 100 | 141 | 0.1 |
| | Shock, not elsewhere classified (R57) | 19 | 13 | 32 | - |
| | Other general symptoms and signs (R68) | 35 | 54 | 89 | 0.1 |
| Ill-defined and unknown causes of mortality (R95-R99) | 874 | 503 | 1 377 | 1.0 |
| | Sudden infant death syndrome (R95) | 34 | 37 | 71 | 0.1 |
| | Other ill-defined and unspecified causes of mortality (R99)(d) | 831 | 456 | 1 287 | 0.9 |
|
| - nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
| (a) Causes selected are those with 20 or more deaths at the 3 digit level of ICD-10. |
| (b) Causes of death data for 2007 is subject to revision. See Explanatory Notes 3-4 for further information. |
| (c) Data cells with small values have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. It is important to note that cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation. |
| (d) For further information relating to this data, see Explanatory Notes 70-79. |
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