Deathly: The Gold Coasts death rates revealed

Gold Coasters are less likely to die than those in almost every other city in the state, according to new national death rate figures — but one of our suburbs is bucking this trend retaining one of the highest death rates.

GOLD Coasters are less likely to die than those in almost every other city in the state, according to new national death rate figures, but one of our northern suburbs remains among the state’s most fatal.

And experts are baffled by the constantly high death rate at Pimpama, with demographer Bernard Salt terming it “the Pimpama Paradox’’.

Latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which releases data annually, show Gold Coasters in most other suburbs are dying at a slower rate than in the rest of the state, with a standardised death rate (SDR) of five deaths per 1000 compared to Queensland’s average of 5.4.

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ABS data reveals that the Gold Coast has one of the State’s lowest death rates.

Standardised death rates are calculated by comparing the number of deaths to the population, while taking into account age groups and sex.

But in a suburb by suburb breakdown, Pimpama rates as the second deadliest suburb in Queensland with an SDR of 10.7.

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Merrimac had the second highest SDR on the Gold Coast with 8.6, and Southport was third at 7.9.

The rates in Pimpama were equal to far southwest Outback Queensland and beaten only by Shorncliffe in Brisbane and Annandale, a suburb of Townsville, which are both 11.4.

Pimpama’s constantly high rating over the past decade has experts puzzled.

“The Pimpama figures have been at the high end of the scale for a number of years, too long for it to be counted as an anomaly,” Mr Salt said.

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An aerial photograph of Pimpama in 2016. Photo: Nearmap

Griffith University health economist Professor Paul Scuffham said the younger population of Pimpama could be behind the statistic.

“Pimpama does have a much younger population compared to the rest of Australia — 50 per cent are under 30 — so deaths would be seen as unusual, bringing the rate up,” he said.

“On the Gold Coast as a whole, you have seen the rates drop which is a credit to the health sector.”

The major causes of death for the city in 2018 included heart disease, which claimed 399 lives, dementia 365, cardiovascular disease (including stroke) 238, and suicide 97.

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The suburb with the highest total number of deaths on the Gold Coast last year was Labrador, where 235 residents died. Pics Adam Head

The figures also reveal that last year the city recorded a 3.9 per cent drop in total deaths, with 152 fewer than in 2017 despite a population increase of 2.6 per cent.

The Gold Coast’s low SDR was equal to Brisbane and only beaten by the Sunshine Coast on 4.8 and Barcaldine, Isaac and Noosa, all on 4.6.

The suburb with the highest total number of deaths on the Gold Coast last year was Labrador, where 235 residents died.

Palm Beach residents achieved the lowest rate in the city with an SDR of 3.5.

“We are talking about early 20s-30s moving into the area, which would show a decline in deaths in the area,” Mr Salt said.

But he reminded Gold Coasters that despite lower death rates generally in the city, the rates would always be present.

“Let me assure the population, you are not immortal, don’t get your hopes up,” he said.

“Death happens to everyone.”