PERSONS OF ALL AGES

There were 75,858 deaths registered in Australia in 2011-12 (between 10 August 2011 and 27 September 2012 inclusive) of persons who accessed mental health-related treatments, with a standardised death rate almost twice (1.9 times) that of the total Australian population (11.4 deaths per 1,000 population compared with 6.1 deaths per 1,000 population). For all leading causes of death, standardised death rates were consistently higher amongst persons who accessed mental health-related treatments compared with the total Australian population. These differences may be the result of varied and complex circumstances relating to diseases, their treatments and the impacts of chronic or terminal health conditions on a person’s mental health.

The leading cause of death for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments in 2011 was Ischaemic heart disease, with 9,303 deaths (accounting for 12.3% of all deaths amongst this population). Ischaemic heart disease is a condition that affects the supply of blood to the heart. Ischaemic heart disease was also the leading cause of death amongst the total Australian population (21,597 deaths, or 14.1% of all deaths). The standardised death rate for Ischaemic heart disease for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments was 122.2 deaths per 100,000 population, one and a half times higher than that of the total Australian population (84.0 deaths per 100,000 population).

Lung cancer (Cancer of the trachea, bronchus or lung) was the second leading cause of death for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments in 2011, with 5,069 deaths (accounting for 6.7% of all deaths amongst this population). For the total Australian population, Lung cancer was the fourth most common cause of death. The standardised death rate for Lung cancer for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments was 82.4 deaths per 100,000 population, more than two times (2.2) higher than that of the total Australian population (37.4 deaths per 100,000 population).

Cerebrovascular diseases were the third leading cause of death for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments in 2011 (4,923 deaths, or 6.5% of all deaths amongst this population). Cerebrovascular diseases comprise a range of brain dysfunctions which relate to the blood vessels that supply the brain, of which stroke is a common type. Most deaths from cerebrovascular diseases are due to a stroke [1].

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (4,756 deaths) and Chronic lower respiratory diseases (4,002 deaths) were the fourth and fifth leading causes of death respectively for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments in 2011, accounting for 6.3% and 5.3% of all deaths amongst this population. Dementia is a chronic illness that affects the brain, leading to health complications and often death. It is one of the most common diseases in the elderly and a major cause of disability [2]. Chronic lower respiratory diseases are a group of conditions affecting the lungs, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and emphysema.

The standardised death rate for Cerebrovascular diseases for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments in 2011 was 62.8 deaths per 100,000 population, 1.4 times higher than that of the total Australian population (43.3 deaths per 100,000 population). The standardised death rate for Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments was 1.5 times higher than the total Australian population (55.7 deaths per 100,000 population compared with 36.9 deaths per 100,000 population respectively), while the standardised death rate for Chronic lower respiratory diseases for persons who accessed mental health-related treatments was twice that of the total Australian population (57.0 deaths per 100,000 population compared with 28.1 deaths per 100,000 population respectively).

Intentional self-harm was the thirteenth most common cause of death amongst persons who accessed mental health-related treatments, with a standardised death rate more than three times (3.3) that of the total Australian population (34.4 deaths per 100,000 population compared with 10.5 deaths per 100,000 population respectively). Similarly, the standardised death rate for Breast cancer amongst persons who accessed mental health-related treatments was considerably higher (two and a half times) than the Australian population overall (32.8 deaths per 100,000 population compared with 13.2 deaths per 100,000 population respectively).

Underlying cause	Rank(a)	Number of deaths no.	Proportion of all deaths %	Standardised death rate rate(b)	Rate ratio ratio(c)
PERSONS WHO ACCESSED MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED TREATMENTS IN 2011
Ischaemic heart disease	1st	9 303	12.3	122.2	1.5
Lung cancer (Cancer of the trachea, bronchus or lung)	2nd	5 069	6.7	82.4	2.2
Cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. stroke)	3rd	4 923	6.5	62.8	1.4
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease	4th	4 756	6.3	55.7	1.5
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma, emphysema)	5th	4 002	5.3	57.0	2.0
Breast cancer	10th	1 802	2.4	32.8	2.5
Intentional self-harm	13th	1 214	1.6	34.4	3.3
All causes of death	. .	75 858	100.0	(d)11.4	1.9
TOTAL AUSTRALIAN POPULATION
Ischaemic heart disease	1st	21 597	14.1	84.0	. .
Cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. stroke)	2nd	11 228	7.3	43.3	. .
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease	3rd	9 887	6.4	36.9	. .
Lung cancer (Cancer of the trachea, bronchus or lung)	4th	9 065	5.9	37.4	. .
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma, emphysema)	5th	7 002	4.6	28.1	. .
Breast cancer	12th	3 177	2.1	13.2	. .
Intentional self-harm	13th	2 295	1.5	10.5	. .
All causes of death	. .	153 451	100.0	(d)6.1	. .
(a) Data ranked according to leading cause of death. (b) Deaths per 100,000 population, age standardised to the 2001 Australian population. (c) Ratio of standardised death rate of persons who accessed mental health-related treatments in 2011 to standardised death rate of total Australian population. (d) Deaths per 1,000 population, age standardised to the 2001 Australian population.

ENDNOTES

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015, Causes of Death, Australia, cat. no. 3303.0, viewed 24 August 2017, <https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/3303.0~2015~Main%20Features~Stroke~10003>

2 Fratiglioni L, De Ronchi D, Aquero-Torres H 1999. Worldwide Prevalence and Incidence of Dementia. Drugs & Aging. 1999 Nov; 15 (5): 365-375.