3303.0.55.001 - Causes of Death, Australia: Doctor Certified Deaths, Summary Tables, 2008 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/11/2009   
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Contents >> Overview >> DOCTOR CERTIFIED DEATHS

DOCTOR CERTIFIED DEATHS

Of all deaths registered in 2008, 125,278 (87.0%) were certified by a doctor. The remainder were reportable deaths, certified by a coroner.

Males accounted for 61,222 (48.9%) of all doctor certified deaths registered in 2008, with females accounting for the remaining 64,056 (51.1%). The median age at death for doctor certified deaths registered in 2008 was 82.2 years, whereas the median age at death for coroner certified deaths registered in 2008 was significantly lower at 61.1 years.


State and territory doctor certified deaths

The proportion of deaths certified by a doctor varies between jurisdictions. In 2008, Northern Territory had the lowest proportion of deaths certified by a doctor at 67.5%. The Australian Capital Territory had the next lowest proportion of deaths certified by a doctor at 82.0%. Tasmania had the highest proportion of deaths certified by a doctor with 89.5%. The proportions for all jurisdictions, except Victoria, are comparable with the previous year. In 2008 the proportion of deaths certified by a doctor in Victoria decreased by 3.0% on the 2007 figure.

1 Deaths, by Type of Certifier and State and Territory of Registration - 2007 and 2008(a)
2007(a)
2008
Doctor
Coroner
Total
Doctor  
Coroner
Total
no.  
%  
no.  
%  
no.  
no.  
%  
no.  
%  
no.  
NSW
41 352
89.2
5 015
10.8
46 367
42 983
88.9
5 342
11.1
48 325
Vic.
29 752
87.7
4 171
12.3
33 923
30 097
84.7
5 417
15.3
35 514
Qld
23 040
88.6
2 975
11.4
26 015
24 415
88.6
3 139
11.4
27 554
SA
10 521
84.9
1 867
15.1
12 388
10 810
85.5
1 832
14.5
12 642
WA
10 570
85.9
1 734
14.1
12 304
10 936
85.8
1 813
14.2
12 749
Tas.
3 654
89.1
447
10.9
4 101
3 751
89.5
439
10.5
4 190
NT
662
67.9
313
32.1
975
703
67.5
338
32.5
1 041
ACT
1 452
81.5
329
18.5
1 781
1 583
82.0
348
18.0
1 931
Aust.
121 003
87.8
16 851
12.2
137 854
125 278
87.0
18 668
13.0
143 946
(a) Data for 2007 deaths have been updated after the processing of 2007 coroner certified deaths. See Explanatory Note 38 for further information.








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