Overall mortality rates have dropped substantially over the past 16 years in Queensland and Australia. Over this period, Queensland rates have declined from 860/100,000 to around 670/100,000, with rates close to all Australia rates but generally higher than that of West Australia, the State with the lowest rates. However, in 1994 Queenslanders had the second lowest life expectancy of the States, and also had perinatal and infant mortality rates which were above the national average. Comparing standardised mortality rates across the States from 1991-1994, West Australia had the lowest all cause mortality rate. The Queensland rate was around 4% higher (see attachment 1a).
In 1994, the major causes of death in Queensland were cancer (26.1%), ischaemic heart disease (25.5%), cerebrovascular disease (9.8%), accidents (4.1%) and suicide (2.1%) (see attachment 2).
The three largest causes of person years life lost in Queensland are ischaemic heart disease, suicide and self-inflicted injury and transport accidents, and comparing Queensland with the best of the European countries, the greatest potential for further mortality gain lies with these three areas (see attachment 3a). If Queensland were to achieve the potential mortality gain attained by reducing mortality rates for the causes outlined in attachment 3a to that of the lowest European country, then life expectancy would increase by approximately three years for males and approximately two years for females. This would be a significant increase, equivalent to the entire increase in the expectation of life (from all causes) seen over the last 10-20 years in Queensland.
Queensland's mortality rate for total cardiovascular disease was relatively low compared to other OECD countries. However, France had the lowest rate and the Queensland rate was 49% higher than France (see attachment 4b).
Queensland's potential for further mortality gain for total cardiovascular disease was greater than for total malignant neoplasms, but less than for total external injury and poisoning (see attachment 3b).
For ischaemic heart disease, the biggest contributor to cardiovascular disease mortality, Queensland was around the middle of the OECD countries and had a rate almost two times greater than that of France (see attachment 4c). Of all disease sub-groups, ischaemic heart disease would yield the greatest mortality gain for Queensland (see attachment 3a).
Canada had the lowest rates for cerebrovascular disease (stroke), and had a rate 35% less than Queensland (see attachment 4d). Compared to other disease sub-groups, cerebrovascular disease was in the middle range for potential mortality gain (see attachment 3a).
Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) death rates have dropped substantially over the past 16 years in Queensland and Australia as a whole. Queensland rates have fallen from 260 deaths/100,000 in 1979 to just over 170 deaths/100,000 in 1994, and have been at or somewhat above the Australian average over this time. They have been consistently above since 1992 (7% higher in 1994).
Over the period 1979-1994, the percentage annual decrease in directly standardised rates for ischaemic heart disease in Queensland was lowest of all states (see Table 1). In addition, projected rates based on trends over the last decade indicate that Queensland will have the highest rate of all the States by the year 2001.
Comparing the States between 1991 and 1994, Queensland's death rates for ischaemic heart disease are 11% higher than for West Australia (see attachment 1b). In 1994, Queensland had the second highest rate of all the States and Territories, and the highest of the States.
For cerebrovascular disease, Queensland and Australian rates are comparable and both have fallen at very similar rates over 1979-94. As for ischaemic heart disease the percentage annual decrease in directly standardised rates was lower for Queensland than for New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian average (see Table 1).
In 1991-1994 the death rate from cerebrovascular disease was 6% higher than Victoria, the State which had the lowest rate (see attachment 1c).
Average annual percentage decrease in age-standardised death rates (per/100,000) by State, 1985-1994 (all ages)
| NSW | Vic | Qld | SA | WA | Tas | Aus | |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 3.9 |
Of the OECD countries, Queensland was towards the lower end for death rates for total malignant neoplasms (see attachment 4e), and also had a slightly lower rate than Australia. The potential for mortality gain was, however, lower than for the other leading causes of death (see attachment 3b).
For cancer sub-categories, Queensland had one of the lowest rates for malignant neoplasm of the digestive organs and peritoneum, rates below average for neoplasms of the respiratory and intra-thoracic organs and cancer of the breast, and rates around the average for cervical cancer. Queensland has fairly high rates for prostate cancer compared with other OECD countries. Not surprisingly, Queensland and Australia had very high rates for malignant melanoma (see paragraph 51). The potential for mortality gain was highest for neoplasms of the respiratory and intrathoracic organs, followed by malignant melanoma (see attachment 3a).
There has been a slight, but not significant, increase in the overall cancer death rate in Queensland and Australia over the past 16 years, with the Queensland rate consistently below the Australian average.
Of the States (1991-1994), Queensland had the lowest mortality rates. Rates were comparable to South Australia and West Australia and substantially less than Victoria and Tasmania (see attachment 1d).
For total injury and poisoning Queensland was around the middle of the OECD countries, but had a 62% excess over the lowest European country (see attachment 4f). This is a higher excess than for total cardiovascular disease or total cancers and, of all the disease groups, reducing the Queensland rate of injury and poisoning to the lowest of the European countries would yield the highest mortality gain for Queensland (see attachment 3b).
Queensland had 73% more transport accidents than the best of the OECD countries (see attachment 4g), 363% more suicides (see attachment 4h) and 243% more homicides (see attachment 4i). Of the OECD countries, Queensland had the third highest homicide rate.
Over the past 16 years, rates for injury and poisoning were well above the Australian average in the mid 1980's, and have been consistently above for this whole period.
Queensland rates for motor vehicle accidents have fallen substantially over the past 16 years along with all other states. However, since 1991 rates have trended above the Australian average and are now well above the best of the states. For the period 1991-1994, Queensland had the second highest rate of motor vehicle accidents (see attachment 1g). The rate was around 27% greater than that of NSW and Victoria, the states with the lowest mortality rates.
For accidental deaths in children (0-14 years), Queensland had the highest rate of all the States. Rates were particularly high for the 0-4 year age group, where pool drownings are a significant cause of death (see paragraph 54).
For the first half of the period 1979-94 Queenslanders had higher death rates for mental disorders than the Australian average, while for the second half they had lower rates. Queensland had the lowest rates for mental disorders of all states in 1991-94 (see attachment 1h).
While suicide rates have been decreasing very slowly over the last 10 years after a peak in the mid 80's, the Queensland suicide rate has remained above the Australian average for all of the 1979-94 period.
For 1991- 1994 Queensland had the second highest suicide rate, around 13% higher than in Victoria, the best of the states (see attachment 1i).
Last updated:
1 October, 2003
Review Date: January 2004
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