RECENT TRENDS IN VICTORIAN DEATH RATES

Standardised death rates (SDRs) enable the comparison of death rates between populations with different age structures by relating them to a standard population. A direct method is used when the populations under study are large and the age-specific rates are reliable, while an indirect method is used when the populations under study are small and the age-specific death rates are unreliable or not known. SDRs are calculated using the 2001 total population of Australia as the standard population.

There were 35,500 deaths registered in Victoria in 2008, compared with 32,900 deaths in 2003, an increase of 7.8%. Victoria had a SDR of 5.8 deaths per 1,000 standard population in 2008, which was the same as in 2007, but down from 6.3 deaths per 1,000 standard population in 2003. Between 2003 and 2008, the SDR decreased by 7.9%. Over the period, Victoria consistently recorded a lower SDR than Australia.

Although the SDR for Victoria has decreased overall in recent years, there have been significant differences in the rate of change in indirect standardised death rates (ISDRs) between LGAs across the state. Death rates are presented below for LGAs as average ISDRs calculated using data for the three years ending in the reference year. For example, a reference to 2008 relates to the three-year period 2006-2008.

Queenscliffe had the largest decrease in death rate of 39.7% between 2003 and 2008. Conversely, the largest increase was observed in Mansfield (20.0%) over the same period. In the Melbourne SD, the LGA of Nillumbik had the largest increase in ISDR of 10.4% between 2003 and 2008, followed by Casey (6.9%). On the other hand, the largest decrease in ISDR over the same period was observed in Yarra (22.9%), followed by Melbourne (17.9%) and Port Phillip (16.4%).

In 2008, the highest death rates among LGAs in Victoria were recorded in Pyrenees (7.6), Ararat and Central Goldfields (both 7.1). Melton (6.6) had the highest death rate in the Melbourne SD. Across Victoria, the lowest rates were recorded in Queenscliffe (4.7), Manningham (4.9) and Surf Coast (5.5).

Further commentary comparing death rates between the states and territories can be found in Deaths, Australia (cat. no. 3302.0) (Contents, Summary of findings, DEATH RATES STEADY). Summary data on deaths and life expectancy in Victoria and its regions can be found on the Downloads page of the same publication (Tables 1-6).

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