June 6th 2024.
In the year 2022, coronary heart disease unfortunately claimed the lives of nearly 40,000 people in Australia, making it the leading cause of death. This information comes from a recent report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The report revealed that this condition was responsible for 20% of all deaths, which amounts to a total of 38,273 individuals. However, it also noted that in four out of every five deaths, there were multiple contributing factors involved.
According to spokesperson Michelle Gourley from AIHW, determining the exact cause of death can be quite complex. It depends on how one assesses the various conditions that may have played a role. Gourley further stated, "Understanding what Australians die from is complex and the answer can vary, depending on how we assess the conditions involved."
While coronary heart disease was the leading cause of death, dementia was not far behind at 18.3%, followed by high blood pressure, cerebrovascular diseases, and diabetes. The report also highlighted the most common "direct" causes of death, which are the factors that ultimately led to someone's passing. These include lower respiratory infections, cardiac/respiratory arrest, and sepsis.
It's worth noting that the report took into consideration all factors listed on death certificates, not just the underlying cause. As Gourley explained, "Traditionally, statistics about how people die are based primarily on the initiating or 'underlying' cause of death, but death certificates also contain other information that can be useful in understanding why a death occurred."
For instance, a person's underlying cause of death may be listed as coronary heart disease, but the death certificate might also mention other health conditions that directly contributed, such as acute myocardial infarction. Other significant factors like hypertension, diabetes, alcohol use disorders, COVID-19, and contextual factors could also be recorded on the death certificate.
Gourley emphasized that this report will provide valuable insights for healthcare strategies aimed at improving the quality of life for Australians. "Using different ways of looking at causes of death can enhance our understanding of the roles played by different diseases and conditions in a person's health and in their death," she said. "This can lead to a better awareness of what health conditions have the biggest impact on the community and can aid health services and decision-makers in developing strategies and interventions to reduce the impact of diseases and promote better health."
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