3303.0 - Causes of Death, Australia, 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/03/2014   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH BY SEX

Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25) were the leading cause of death for both males and females in 2012, accounting for 10,907 and 9,139 deaths respectively. This reflects a sex ratio of 119 male deaths per 100 female deaths. Tables 2.2 and 2.3 below, list the top ten leading causes of death for males and females for 2012.

2.2 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Males, 2012(b)(c)
Cause of death and ICD-10 code
Rank
Males
Persons
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
10 907
20 046
Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (C33-C34)
2
4 882
8 137
Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
3
4 245
10 779
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
4
3 542
6 649
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
5
3 406
10 369
Prostate cancer (C61)
6
3 079
3 079
Blood and lymph cancer (including leukaemia) (C81-C96)
7
2 327
4 001
Colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus cancer (C18-C21)
8
2 240
4 051
Diabetes (E10-E14)
9
2 199
4 239
Intentional self-harm (X60-X84)(d)
10
1 901
2 535
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of death for all deaths registered in 2012, based on WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Notes 41-43 for further information.
(b) Causes of death data for 2012 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, 2010 and 2011 in this publication.
(c) See Explanatory Notes 81-99 for further information on specific issues relating to 2012 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 92-94.

2.3 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Females, 2012(b)(c)
Cause of death and ICD-10 code
Rank
Females
Persons
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
9 139
20 046
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
2
6 963
10 369
Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
3
6 534
10 779
Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (C33-C34)
4
3 255
8 137
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
5
3 107
6 649
Breast cancer (C50)
6
2 795
2 819
Diseases of the urinary system (N00-N39)
7
2 053
3 711
Diabetes (E10-E14)
8
2 040
4 239
Heart failure (I50-I51)
9
1 989
3 489
Colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus cancer (C18-C21)
10
1 811
4 051
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of death for all deaths registered in 2012, based on WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Notes 41-43 for further information.
(b) Causes of death data for 2012 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, 2010 and 2011 in this publication.
(c) See Explanatory Notes 81-99 for further information on specific issues relating to 2012 data.


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.

Of the leading causes of death for males in Table 2.2, above, those with a higher proportion of male to female deaths included:
  • Intentional self-harm (suicide, (X60-X84)) - 75.0% and 300 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Trachea, bronchus and lung cancers (C33-C34) - 60.0% and 150 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Blood and lymph cancers (including leukaemia) (C81-C96) - 58.2% and 139 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Colon and rectum cancers (C18-C21) - 55.3% and 124 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Ischaemic heart disease (I20-I25) - 54.4% and 119 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47) - 53.3% and 114 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Diabetes (E10-E14) - 51.9% and 108 male deaths for every 100 female deaths

Of the leading causes of death for females in Table 2.3, above, those with a higher proportion of female to male deaths included:
  • Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30) - 67.2% and 49 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69) - 60.6% and 65 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Heart failure (I50-I51) - 57.0% and 75 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Diseases of the urinary system (N00-N39) - 55.3% and 81 male deaths for every 100 female deaths.