Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals the leading causes of death in 2021

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed the leading causes of death in 2021, with one hitting a decade high.

The rate of alcohol-induced deaths was the highest in a decade last year, while a record low of just two people died from influenza, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Overall, the death rate remained low, with 171,469 deaths registered in 2021 at a rate of 507 deaths per 100,000 people.

“This was 3.2 per cent higher than 2020 but lower than the 2019 pre-pandemic death rate (522 per 100,000),” ABS director of mortality statistics Lauren Moran said.

Alcohol-induced deaths increased 5.8 per cent compared with 2020 and was the highest rate in the past 10 years.

“This was driven by an 8.1 per cent increase in deaths among males,” Ms Moran said.

Heart disease was the leading cause of male deaths, while dementia was the leading cause among females.

Alcohol-induced deaths have increased since 2020. Picture: iStock

Overall, the top five leading causes of death in 2021 remained the same:

• Heart disease;
• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease;
• Stroke;
• Lung cancer; and
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases.

“Deaths from respiratory diseases remained low in 2021, with the mortality rate of 39.1 deaths per 100,000 people being the second lowest on record,” Ms Moran said.

“This included just two deaths from influenza. Covid-19 public health measures appeared to suppress the transmission of many common respiratory illnesses in 2020, and this continued in 2021.”

The number of influenza deaths in 2020 was 55, well down on the 1076 deaths in 2019.

Covid-19 was ranked 34 as a cause last year, with 1122 deaths, most of which were linked to the Delta wave.

A further 31 people died of other causes, such as cancer, with Covid-19 as a contributory cause of death.

The median age of the deaths was also younger than in 2020 (79.1 compared with 86.9) and they had a higher tendency to have pre-existing chronic cardiac conditions.

There were 15 deaths last year that indicated a Covid-19 vaccination was the underlying cause.

Covid-19 mortality by age and sex in 2021. Picture: ABS

Overall, the death rate for people aged 25 to 44 was the lowest in 10 years.

There were 213 deaths last year due to assault, including 152 males and 61 females.

This was lower than the number of deaths in 2020, which was 241.

A further 1206 deaths came from motor vehicle accidents, including 917 males and 289 females, compared with a total of 1163 in 2020.

The death rate from motor vehicle accidents increased by 2.9 per cent from 2020 but was 7 per cent lower than in 2019.

Drug-induced deaths were 1704, including 1069 males and 635 females, compared with 1842 in 2020.

It was an 8.2 per cent decrease in the rate of drug-induced deaths from 2020.

Originally published as Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals the leading causes of death in 2021