What are the leading causes of death in Australia?

Heart disease remains the number one killer of people in Australia, according to the latest figures on the leading causes of death. COVID-19 also took its toll in 2021, responsible for many hundreds of deaths, but it wasn’t among the top killers of that year. So what are some of the other leading causes of death in Australia?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics monitors the causes of deaths registered in Australia each year. According to figures for 2021, it found the total number of deaths that year was 171,469, up 10,169 (6.3%) from the year before. Of those deaths, 89,401 (52.1%) were male and 82,068 (47.9%) were female.

The majority of deaths were adults – 156,693 in people aged 65 and older – but there were 1,434 deaths in people aged 14 and under.

The ABS said there were 1,122 deaths due to COVID-19 – most associated with the Delta wave – making it the 34th leading cause of death in 2021. By comparison, it said there were two deaths due to the flu in 2021 – the lowest annual figure on record – compared to 55 in 2020 and 1,076 in 2019.

The top five leading causes of death

The top five causes of death accounted for 59,550 of all registered deaths in 2021, that’s 34.7% of the total or about one in three. All are related to our health.

1. Ischaemic heart diseases
2. Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
3. Cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. stroke)
4. Lung cancer
5. Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Leading causes of death in Australia 2021

Cause 1: Ischaemic heart disease

Ischaemic heart disease was the leading single cause of deaths in Australia, responsible for 17,331 deaths in 2021, about one in 10 of total deaths that year.

Males were more prone to the disease, accounting for 10,371 (59.8%) of the deaths compared to 6,960 (40.2%) for females.

The condition, also known as coronary heart disease, affects the supply of blood to the heart, and has long been Australia’s number one killer, even though rates have declined in recent years, more in females than males.

For example, the number of males who died from this particular type of heart disease dropped by 583 over the years from 2012 to 2021. Over the same period, the number of female deaths from the disease fell by 2,194.

The Heart Foundation of Australia says those most affected by heart disease in general include people from lower socioeconomic groups, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those living in remote areas.

Most people don’t know they have heart disease until they have a heart attack or some other condition brought on by the disease.

A family history of heart disease is one potential risk factor. Others include:

• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• being overweight or obese
• an unhealthy diet
• being physically inactive.

The Foundation says on average, a person is hospitalised with a form of heart disease every 80 seconds in Australia, and a person dies every 18 minutes.

Private health cover for the ‘heart and vascular system’ treatment category is mandatory on Gold and Silver hospital policies, and it may be offered as a restricted benefit on some Bronze and Basic policies.

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Cause 2: Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, claimed 15,940 lives in 2021, an increase of 5,573 since 2012.

It was the leading single cause of death for females, accounting for 10,276 (64.5%) lives lost in 2021, compared to 5,664 (35.5%) for males.

Dementia Australia says dementia is a collection of symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain, not one specific disease.

Common symptoms include frequent memory loss, confusion, personality change, withdrawal from work or social activities and a difficulty to perform everyday tasks.

Dementia Australia says the disease can happen to anybody, but the risk increases with age and affects almost one in 10 people over the age of 65. People under 65 can develop dementia but this is less common.

Cause 3: Cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. stroke)

Cerebrovascular diseases refers to conditions involving blood flow to the brain, such as a stroke, and they accounted for 9,800 deaths in 2021. They were responsible for more deaths among females, at 5,620 (57.3%) than males at 4,180 (42.7%).

There was an increase in the number of deaths from these conditions, up 330 on the 2020 figure but down 985 on 2012.

The Stroke Foundation says a stroke happens when blood cannot get to your brain, because of a blocked or burst artery. This can cause brain cells to die because of a lack of oxygen.

Despite cerebrovascular diseases being the number three killer in Australia, the Foundation says more than 80% of strokes can be prevented, as some of the most common risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and a high intake of alcohol.

Cause 4: Lung and throat cancers

Lung and throat cancers were the fourth-biggest killers in 2021, accounting for 8,674 deaths. The disease was more prominent in males, responsible for 4,968 (57.3%) deaths compared to 3,706 (42.7%) deaths of females.

Deaths from such cancers are up 217 on the previous year, and up 536 over the years from 2012.

The reason cancer in general is not listed as Australia’s biggest killer is because the ABS records deaths across a range of different cancers such as breast, colon, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin and so on.

The Cancer Council says cancer was responsible for just under 50,000 total deaths in 2020.

It adds that smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer and accounts for about 13% of cancer cases each year. It also says two out of three deaths in current long-term smokers can be directly attributed to smoking.

The latest national smoking statistics from the ABS show one in ten people (10.7% or 2.1 million people) aged 18 years and over were daily smokers in 2020-21. As a smoker, you may have to pay more for any life insurance cover.

Private health insurance cover for cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy is a minimum requirement of Bronze, Silver and Gold hospital policies, and may be offered as a restricted benefit on Basic policies.

→ Read more: How much does chemotherapy cost?

Cause 5: Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Chronic lower respiratory diseases were responsible for 7,805 deaths in 2021, with 3,951 (50.6%) among males and 3,854 (49.4%) in females.

The ABS includes deaths from bronchitis, emphysema and asthma in these figures.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) says chronic respiratory conditions affect the airways, including the lungs and passages that transfer air from the mouth and nose into the lungs. They can cause symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough.

While some risk factors may be genetic and can’t be changed, the AIHW says other risks can, such as smoking, poor nutrition, being overweight or obese and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

The latest ABS data shows about two thirds (67.0%) of Australian adults were overweight or obese in 2017-18, an increase from 63.4% in 2014-15.

Australia is a land of deadly creatures, but do they really kill?

Despite Australia’s reputation as home to some of the world’s deadliest creatures and critters, the ABS registered relatively few deaths from contact with our wildlife in 2021.

There was only one death caused by venomous snakes and lizards, no deaths caused by spiders or scorpions and three deaths recorded from contact with hornets, wasps and bees.

There were four deaths from contact with marine animals, and three deaths attributed to a crocodile or alligator. Taronga Conservation Society Australia’s Shark Attack File reports three fatal shark encounters in 2021, all listed as unprovoked.

The ABS says two people died after being bitten or struck by a dog.

Other diseases and leading cause of death in Australia

It’s our health that’s proving to be a leading cause of death in Australia. Diabetes claimed 5,404 lives and ranked 7th as leading cause of death in 2021. That’s an ABS ranking position the disease has held for several years.

Other diseases that caused death in 2021 include various cancers of the colon (ranked 6th), blood or lymphatic system (8th), prostate (12th), pancreas (13th), breast (14th) and liver (19th). Cirrhosis and other diseases of the liver is ranked 18th and Parkinson’s at 20th place.

Influenza and pneumonia dropped from 17th place in 2020 to 22nd in 2021, responsible for 2,073 deaths. As mentioned earlier, only two of those deaths are attributed to the flu.

Accidental falls are another killer, responsible for 3,747 deaths and ranked as the 10th as a cause of death in 2021, something that’s continued to climb over the years, from 16th in 2016 and 17th in 2012.

How could your cause of death affect your life insurance policy?

Life insurance policies are generally designed to provide a benefit to a beneficiary you’ve named, such as your partner, if you die due to an unforeseen illness or accident.

But there may be certain causes of death that are listed as exclusions on your life insurance policy.

For example, on some policies may not cover death by suicide, or there may be an extended waiting period of a year or more after the policy is initially taken out during which suicide would not be covered.

Some life insurers may not provide cover for deaths caused by pre-existing medical conditions you were aware of but didn’t disclose when taking out the policy.

Make sure you read the product disclosure statement (PDS) and your certificate of insurance, and check with your insurer if you are not sure what limits or exclusions might apply to your cover.

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Cover image source: KieferPix/Shutterstock.com