UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH
Causes of death statistics in Australia are recorded as both underlying cause i.e. the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death; and multiple cause i.e. all causes and conditions reported on the death certificate that contributed to, were associated with, or was the underlying cause of the death (see Glossary for further details).
Only underlying cause of death is presented for 2011 doctor certified deaths in this publication. Information on multiple cause of death for all deaths will be included in Causes of Death, Australia, 2011 (cat. no. 3303.0).
All deaths registered in 2011 have been coded using the tenth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) as released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As shown in Table 2, in 2011 the top 3 causes of doctor certified deaths at the chapter level were:
- Cancers, representing one-third (33.2%) of all doctor certified deaths;
- Circulatory diseases, representing 30.7% of all doctor certified deaths, and;
- Respiratory diseases, which contributed 9.1% of all doctor certified deaths.
The leading causes of death for all deaths (that is, both doctor and coroner certified) will be presented in March 2013 in Causes of Death, Australia, 2011 (cat. no. 3303.0).
Table 2. Doctor certified deaths by cause of death, 2010 and 2011(a) |
|
 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Dr cert | Proportion of total Dr cert | Dr cert | Proportion of total Dr cert |
| Cause of death and ICD-10 code | no. | % | no. | % |
|
| Infectious diseases (A00-B99) | 2 009 | 1.6 | 2 262 | 1.7 |
| Cancer (C00-D48) | 42 719 | 33.9 | 43 216 | 33.2 |
| Blood and immunity disorders (D50-D89) | 392 | 0.3 | 450 | 0.3 |
| Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90) | 5 422 | 4.3 | 5 756 | 4.4 |
| Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99) | 6 729 | 5.3 | 7 359 | 5.7 |
| Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99) | 5 858 | 4.6 | 6 440 | 5.0 |
| Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59) | 4 | - | 8 | - |
| Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95) | 1 | - | 8 | - |
| Diseases of the heart and blood vessels (I00-I99) | 39 332 | 31.2 | 39 924 | 30.7 |
| Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99) | 11 276 | 8.9 | 11 857 | 9.1 |
| Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93) | 4 525 | 3.6 | 4 634 | 3.6 |
| Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99) | 390 | 0.3 | 425 | 0.3 |
| Diseases of the muscles, bones and tendons (M00-M99) | 1 129 | 0.9 | 1 117 | 0.9 |
| Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N99) | 3 283 | 2.6 | 3 389 | 2.6 |
| Pregnancy and childbirth (O00-O99) | 1 | - | - | - |
| Conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96) | 555 | 0.4 | 551 | 0.4 |
| Congenital and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99) | 508 | 0.4 | 472 | 0.4 |
| Ill-defined causes (R00-R99) | 361 | 0.3 | 342 | 0.3 |
| External causes (V01-Y98) | 1 598 | 1.3 | 1 783 | 1.4 |
| Total doctor certified deaths | 126 094 | 100.0 | 129 993 | 100.0 |
| Total coroner certified deaths | 17 379 | | 16 939 | |
| Total deaths | 143 473 | | 146 932 | |
|
| - nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
| (a) Data cells with small numbers have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation. |
|
The following table presents information about changes in doctor certified deaths from 2010 to 2011. Care should be taken in interpreting these results as they exclude any deaths which have been referred to a coroner for investigation, and may be affected by volatility when there are a small number of deaths recorded for specific causes.
Table 3. Doctor certified deaths by cause of death, 2010 and 2011(a) |
|
| 2010 | 2011 | change |
| Cause of death and ICD-10 code | no. | no. | % |
|
| Infectious diseases (A00-B99) | 2009 | 2 262 | 12.6 |
| Cancer (C00-D48) | 42719 | 43 216 | 1.2 |
| Blood and immunity disorders (D50-D89) | 392 | 450 | 14.8 |
| Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90) | 5422 | 5 756 | 6.2 |
| Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99) | 6729 | 7 359 | 9.4 |
| Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99) | 5858 | 6 440 | 9.9 |
| Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59) | 4 | 8 | np |
| Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95) | 1 | 8 | np |
| Diseases of the heart and blood vessels (I00-I99) | 39332 | 39 924 | 1.5 |
| Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99) | 11276 | 11 857 | 5.2 |
| Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93) | 4525 | 4 634 | 2.4 |
| Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99) | 390 | 425 | 9.0 |
| Diseases of the muscles, bones and tendons (M00-M99) | 1129 | 1 117 | -1.1 |
| Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N99) | 3283 | 3 389 | 3.2 |
| Pregnancy and childbirth (O00-O99) | 1 | - | np |
| Conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96) | 555 | 551 | -0.7 |
| Congenital and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99) | 508 | 472 | -7.1 |
| Ill-defined causes (R00-R99) | 361 | 342 | -5.3 |
| External causes (V01-Y98) | 1598 | 1 783 | 11.6 |
| Total doctor certified deaths | 126 094 | 129 993 | 3.1 |
|
| - nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
| np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated |
| (a) Data cells with small numbers have been randomly assigned to protect the confidentiality of individuals. As a result, some totals will not equal the sum of their components. Cells with a zero value have not been affected by confidentialisation. |
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