DATA released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has named dementia as the leading cause of death in Australia, overtaking ischaemic heart diseases.

The Causes of Death, Australia, 2024 report states that dementia accounted for 9.4% of all deaths, an increase of 39% over the last decade.

Dementia has been the leading cause of death for Australian women since 2016, with women accounting for almost two-thirds (62.4%) of deaths from dementia.

Ischaemic heart disease remains the main cause of death for men, and overall was the second leading cause of death accounting for 8.7% of deaths.

The gap between these two causes of death has narrowed over time, and 2024 was the first year where dementia caused over 1,000 more deaths than ischaemic heart diseases.

Chronic lower respiratory diseases were the third leading cause of death, with cerebrovascular diseases and lung cancer rounding out the top five causes.

While the number of deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases and cerebrovascular diseases decreased by 18.3% and 15.9% respectively over the last decade, the increase in dementia deaths is concerning due to the large number of people currently living with the condition.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said this data reinforces the critical need to invest in public health approaches to brain health and dementia risk reduction, while providing more targeted support for people impacted by dementia.

“There are currently an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia and without significant intervention, this number is expected to increase to more than one million by 2065,” Professor Buchanan said.

“We need to act on dementia now.

“At a community level, we need to increase awareness of dementia and brain health, reducing the stigma experienced by so many impacted by dementia.”

Professor Buchanan pointed out that while age and genetics play a role in dementia, “we now know that up to 45% of dementia cases globally could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors”.

“Dementia Australia is continuing to advocate to government for investment in a national brain health and risk reduction campaign,” she added.

The ABS release follows the latest update of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) Dementia in Australia report published in Sep this year (PD 15 Sep), which also reported dementia as the leading cause of death for Australians. KB

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