Dementia deaths double over decade
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are claiming more than twice as many Australian lives than they did a decade ago, new data has found.
According to the latest Causes of Death report, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) yesterday, the diseases accounted for almost 8280 deaths in 2009 – making it the third biggest killer of Aussies overall.
The rise in degenerative brain conditions prompted a peak advocacy body to call for more funding from the state and federal governments come budget time.
Chief executive officer of Alzheimer’s Australia, John Watkins, said more services in regional Australia were needed, as well as earlier diagnosis and greater awareness, and understanding of the illness.
Heart disease remained at the top of the list for both men and women, where it’s stood since 2000.
However, the number of lives the disease claimed in 2009 had dropped 4% over the past 10 years – killing about 12,000 men and almost 10,500 women.
Stroke was second on the list, claiming 11,220 lives, and lung cancer came in fourth with about 7,790 fatalities.
Meanwhile, diabetes and external causes such as accidents and homicides were over-represented among deaths in the indigenous population.
Diabetes was responsible for 8% of deaths, compared to just fewer than 3% of non-indigenous people.
External causes claimed the lives of almost 14% of the indigenous population, compared to about 6% of non-indigenous.
