UNDERLYING CAUSES OF DEATH
All deaths have been coded using the tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) as released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In Australia, mortality statistics coding utilises both underlying cause and multiple causes of death information. The underlying cause of death is the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death. Multiple causes are all causes and conditions reported on the death certificate that contributed to, were associated with, or were the underlying cause of the death (see Glossary for further details).
Only underlying cause of death data are presented in this publication. Information on multiple causes of death for all deaths will be included in Causes of Death, Australia, 2012 (cat. no. 3303.0), in 2014.
The data below are presented by chapters of the ICD-10. Nearly three-quarters of all deaths certified are attributed to three causes of death: cancers (42,961, 33.1%), circulatory diseases (38,743, 29.8%) and respiratory diseases (12,541, 9.7%). The remaining causes of death each accounted for 6% or less of deaths certified by a doctor.
The leading causes of death for all deaths (that is, both doctor and coroner certified) will be presented in Causes of Death, Australia, 2012 (cat. no. 3303.0) due for release in 2014.
Table 2. Doctor certified deaths by cause of death, 2011 and 2012(a) |
|
 | 2011 | 2012 |
| 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) | 2 262 | 1.7 | 2 261 | 1.7 |
| Cancer (C00-D48) | 43 216 | 33.2 | 42 961 | 33.1 |
| Blood and immunity disorders (D50-D89) | 450 | 0.3 | 414 | 0.3 |
| Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90) | 5 756 | 4.4 | 5 754 | 4.4 |
| Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99) | 7 359 | 5.7 | 7 822 | 6.0 |
| Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99) | 6 440 | 5.0 | 6 582 | 5.1 |
| Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59) | 8 | — | 9 | — |
| Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95) | 8 | — | 9 | — |
| Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) | 39 924 | 30.7 | 38 743 | 29.8 |
| Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99) | 11 857 | 9.1 | 12 541 | 9.7 |
| Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93) | 4 634 | 3.6 | 4 692 | 3.6 |
| Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99) | 425 | 0.3 | 378 | 0.3 |
| Diseases of the muscles, bones and tendons (M00-M99) | 1 117 | 0.9 | 1 092 | 0.8 |
| Diseases of the genitourinary system (N00-N99) | 3 389 | 2.6 | 3 707 | 2.9 |
| Pregnancy and childbirth (O00-O99) | — | — | 2 | np |
| Conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96) | 551 | 0.4 | 465 | 0.4 |
| Congenital and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99) | 472 | 0.4 | 468 | 0.4 |
| Ill-defined causes (R00-R99) | 342 | 0.3 | 438 | 0.3 |
| External causes (V01-Y98) | 1 783 | 1.4 | 1 619 | 1.2 |
| Total doctor certified deaths | 129 993 | 100.0 | 129 956 | 100.0 |
| Total coroner certified deaths | 16 939 | | 17 142 | |
| Total deaths | 146 932 | | 147 098 | |
|
— nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
np not publishable |
| (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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