3303.0 - Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/03/2012   
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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 2010, with 11,704 and 10,004 deaths respectively. This reflects a sex ratio of 117 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 or ovarian cancer. However, other causes which may not be gender-specific also showed variance between the sexes.

Those causes where a high proportion of deaths were males included:

  • Intentional self-harm (Suicide, (X60-X84) - 76.9% and 333 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Trachea and lung cancers (C33-C34) - 60.9% and 156 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Blood and lymph cancers (including leukaemia) (C81-C96) - 58.1% 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) - 53.9% and 117 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47) - 52.7% and 111 male deaths for every 100 female deaths.

2.2 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Males 2010(b)(c)
Cause of death and ICD-10 code
Rank
Males
Total
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
11 704
21 708
Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (C33-C34)
2
4 934
8 099
Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
3
4 333
11 204
Prostate cancer (C61)
4
3 235
3 235
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
5
3 224
6 122
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
6
2 920
9 003
Blood and lymph cancer (including leukaemia) (C81-C96)
7
2 286
3 933
Colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus cancer (C18-C21)
8
2 242
4 056
Diabetes (E10-E14)
9
1 988
3 945
Intentional self-harm (X60-X84)(d)
10
1 814
2 359
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of death for all deaths registered in 2010, based on WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Notes 46-48 for further information.
(b) Causes of death data for 2010 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Explanatory Notes 35-39 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 and Causes of Death Revisions, 2008 and 2009.
(c) See Explanatory Notes 89-104 for further information on specific issues relating to 2010 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 98-101.


Those causes where a high proportion of deaths were females included:
  • Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30) - 67.6% and 48 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69) - 61.3% and 63 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Heart failure (I50-I51) - 57.5% and 74 male deaths for every 100 female deaths
  • Diseases of the kidney and urinary system (N00-N39) - 55.0% and 82 male deaths for every 100 female deaths.

2.3 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH(a), Females 2010(b)(c)
Cause of death and ICD-10 code
Rank
Females
Total
Ischaemic heart diseases (I20-I25)
1
10 004
21 708
Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
2
6 871
11 204
Dementia and Alzheimer disease (F01, F03, G30)
3
6 083
9 003
Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (C33-C34)
4
3 165
8 099
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J47)
5
2 898
6 122
Breast cancer (C50)
6
2 840
2 864
Heart failure (I50-I51)
7
1 994
3 468
Diabetes (E10-E14)
8
1 957
3 945
Diseases of the urinary system (N00-N39)
9
1 824
3 315
Colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus cancer (C18-C21)
10
1 814
4 056
(a) Causes listed are the leading causes of deaths for all deaths registered in 2010 based on the WHO recommended tabulation of leading causes. See Explanatory Notes 46-48 for further information.
(b) Causes of death data for 2010 are preliminary and subject to a revisions process. See Explanatory Notes 35-39 and Technical Notes, Causes of Death Revisions, 2006 and Causes of Death Revisions, 2008 and 2009.
(c) See Explanatory Notes 89-104 for further information on specific issues relating to 2010 data.








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