1384.6 - Statistics - Tasmania, 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/04/2006   
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Contents >> Health >> Deaths >> Causes of death

Malignant neoplasms (cancers) and ischaemic heart disease were the leading causes of death for Tasmanians in 2003, accounting for 1,080 and 748 deaths respectively.

Malignant neoplasms
were responsible for 30.2% of male deaths and 24.1% of female deaths.

Diseases of the circulatory system,
which include ischaemic heart diseases and cerebrovascular diseases, brought about the deaths of 1,373 persons in 2003, accounting for 34.6% of deaths recorded that year. Some 32.1% of male deaths (652) and 37.3% of female deaths (721) were attributable to these diseases.

Deaths from
cerebrovascular diseases (including strokes) were more common for females than males, resulting in 159 female deaths (8.2% of female deaths), compared to 119 male deaths (5.9% of male deaths) in 2003.

Diseases of the respiratory system
accounted for 341 deaths in 2003. There were 181 male (8.9% of males) and 160 female (8.3% of females) deaths from diseases of the respiratory system.

There were 69 deaths (1.7% of all deaths) attributed to
intentional self-harm (suicide) in Tasmania in 2003. Of these, 54 (78%) were males and 15 (22%) were females. Males aged from 25-44 years accounted for 34.8% of all deaths from intentional self-harm, with 24 deaths.

There were 53 deaths (1.3% of all deaths) from
transport accidents in Tasmania in 2003. Of these, 46 (86.8%) were males and 7 (13.2%) were females. Males aged from 25-44 years accounted for 34.0% of all deaths from transport accidents in 2003, with 18 deaths.

There were 158 deaths (4.0% of all deaths) from
diabetes mellitus in Tasmania in 2003. Of these, 85 (53.8%) were males and 73 (46.2%) were females. People aged 75 years and over accounted for 70.3% of all deaths from diabetes mellitus, with 111 deaths.

UNDERLYING CAUSE OF DEATH, Tasmania - 2003

Males
Females
Total
Cause of death
no.
no.
no.

Mental and behavioural disorders
37
66
103
Diseases of the nervous system
58
100
158
Diseases of the respiratory system
181
160
341
Diseases of the digestive system
73
77
150
Diseases of the genitourinary system
38
48
86
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
114
98
212
- Diabetes mellitus
85
73
158
Neoplasms
634
487
1,121
- Malignant neoplasms
613
467
1,080
Diseases of the circulatory system
652
721
1,373
- Ischaemic heart diseases
377
371
748
- Cerebrovascular diseases
119
159
278
External causes of morbidity and mortality
154
71
225
- Transport accidents
46
7
53
- Intentional self-harm
54
15
69
Other causes of death (a)
89
107
196
Total
2,030
1,935
3,965

(a) Includes certain infectious and parasitic diseases; diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism; diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue; symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified; diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue; certain conditions originating in the perinatal period; congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities; pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium.
Source: Causes of Death, Australia (cat. no. 3303.0).




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