3303.0 - Causes of Death, Australia, 2011 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/03/2013   
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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 2011, accounting for 11,733 and 9,780 deaths respectively. This reflects a sex ratio of 120 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 causes, such as prostate cancer. However, other causes which may not be gender-specific also showed variance between the sexes.

Causes with a high proportion of male deaths included:

  • Intentional self-harm (suicide, (X60-X84)) - 76% and 316 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Trachea, bronchus and lung cancers (C33-C34) - 61.1% and 157 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Blood and lymph cancers (including leukaemia) (C81-C96) - 56.2% and 128 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Colon and rectum cancers (C18-C21) - 55% and 122 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Ischaemic heart disease (I20-I25) - 54.5% and 120 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47) - 53.0% and 113 male deaths for every 100 female deaths.

2.2 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Males, 2011(b)(c)
Cause of death and ICD-10 code
Rank
Males
Persons
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
11 733
21 513
Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (C33-C34)
2
4 959
8 114
Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
3
4 427
11 251
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
4
3 483
6 570
Prostate cancer (C61)
5
3 294
3 294
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
6
3 268
9 864
Colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus cancer (C18-C21)
7
2 248
4 087
Blood and lymph cancer (including leukaemia) (C81-C96)
8
2 237
3 978
Diabetes (E10-E14)
9
2 178
4 209
Intentional self-harm (X60-X84)(d)
10
1 726
2 272
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of death for all deaths registered in 2011, based on WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Notes 41-43 for further information.
(b) Causes of death data for 2011 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Explanatory Notes 29-33 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 in Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 and Causes of Death Revisions, 2009 and 2010 in this publication.
(c) See Explanatory Notes 81-99 for further information on specific issues relating to 2011 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 92-95.


Causes with a high proportion of females deaths included:
  • Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30) - 66.9% and 50 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69) - 60.7% and 65 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Heart failure (I50-I51) - 58% and 72 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N39) - 53.3% and 88 male deaths for every 100 female deaths.

2.3 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Females, 2011(b)(c)
Cause of death and ICD-10 code
Rank
Females
Persons
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
9 780
21 513
Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
2
6 824
11 251
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
3
6 596
9 864
Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (C33-C34)
4
3 155
8 114
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
5
3 087
6 570
Breast cancer (C50)
6
2 914
2 937
Diabetes (E10-E14)
7
2 031
4 209
Heart failure (I50-I51)
8
2 024
3 488
Colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus cancer (C18-C21)
9
1 839
4 087
Diseases of the urinary system (N00-N39)
10
1 804
3 386
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of death for all deaths registered in 2011, based on WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Notes 41-43 for further information.
(b) Causes of death data for 2011 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Explanatory Notes 29-33 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 in Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 and Causes of Death Revisions, 2009 and 2010 in this publication.
(c) See Explanatory Notes 81-99 for further information on specific issues relating to 2011 data.





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