AGE-SPECIFIC DEATH RATES
Following relatively high rates of death in infancy, death rates decline sharply through childhood. In 2009, people aged 5-9 years and 10-14 years had the lowest age-specific death rates (ASDRs) in Australia. ASDRs begin to increase from around 15 years of age. For all age groups, except 85 years and over, ASDRs are higher for males than females.
Male ASDRs increase gradually until around age 40-44 years, where they begin to increase more quickly throughout the older age groups (graph 2.5). Age-specific death rates for females aged 15-34 years are relatively low and constant. Steady increases in female ASDRs are evident beyond 45-49 years of age and continue throughout the older age groups (graph 2.6).
Over the past 20 years death rates have declined overall for both males and females for all ages. The largest proportional decreases have occurred in the younger age groups.
2.5 Age-specific death rates(a)
, Males - 1989 and 2009
2.6 Age-specific death rates(a)
, Females - 1989 and 2009
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