Death from asthma is uncommon. Effective management can reduce the risk.
An estimated 411 people died from asthma in 2009.
In 1979, the rate of mortality attributed to asthma was 2.8 per 100,000 population and this steadily increased to a high of 5.0 per 100,000 in 1989. After that peak, the rate declined steadily.
Deaths attributed to asthma continued to decrease between 1997 and 2003 but have remained stable, below 2.0 per 100,000 population, since then. Throughout this period death rates have been higher in women than in men.
There has been a long-term declining trend in deaths due to asthma in those aged 5–34. Attribution of death due to asthma is more certain among this age group, thus it is commonly used for examining time trends.
While mortality from asthma in Australia has been declining since the late 1980s for both males and females most of the overall decline has occurred among the 70+ age group.
Asthma mortality rates for males in the 55–69 age group decreased steadily until 2004, increased in 2005 and 2006, and have remained relatively stable since then.
In the male 70+ age group the rate of mortality attributed to asthma decreased from 13.3 per 100,000 in 1998 to 5.7 per 100,000 in 2005, with a spike in 2002. In 2006 the rate rose to 9.4 per 100,000 and it has fluctuated around this level since.
Asthma mortality rates for females in the 55–69 age group showed a decreasing trend similar to males, but the rate of reduction was slower for females.
In the female 70+ age group the rate of mortality attributed to asthma decreased from 18.4 per 100,000 in 1998 to 12.7 per 100,000 in 2005.
The number of deaths in the 70+ age group remain relatively high. In 2009, there were 259 deaths (11.5 per 100,000 population) attributed to asthma in the 70+ age group. This was slighty higher than the 241 deaths (11.4 per 100,000) in 2007, and down from 289 (13.1 per 100,000) in 2008.
Source tables
Deaths due to asthma per 100,000 population, people aged 5–34 and all ages, by sex
|
Males
5–34 |
Females
5–34 |
Males
all ages |
Females
all ages |
| 1979 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
3.2 |
2.6 |
| 1980 |
1.0 |
0.8 |
3.7 |
3.5 |
| 1981 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
3.7 |
3.1 |
| 1982 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
3.9 |
3.5 |
| 1983 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
4.0 |
3.5 |
| 1984 |
1.5 |
1.1 |
4.2 |
3.6 |
| 1985 |
1.3 |
1.4 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
| 1986 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
4.9 |
4.0 |
| 1987 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
4.5 |
4.7 |
| 1988 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
4.5 |
4.4 |
| 1989 |
1.3 |
1.1 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
| 1990 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
4.4 |
4.1 |
| 1991 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
3.7 |
3.7 |
| 1992 |
0.7 |
0.4 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
| 1993 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
3.5 |
3.8 |
| 1994 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
3.7 |
4.0 |
| 1995 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
2.9 |
3.7 |
| 1996 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
3.0 |
3.3 |
| 1997 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
2.7 |
3.0 |
| 1998 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
2.3 |
2.9 |
| 1999 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
2.0 |
2.6 |
| 2000 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
2.0 |
2.7 |
| 2001 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
| 2002 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
1.9 |
2.1 |
| 2003 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
| 2004 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
1.7 |
| 2005 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
1.1 |
1.7 |
| 2006 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
| 2007 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
1.3 |
1.9 |
| 2007 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
1.3 |
1.9 |
| 2008 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
1.6 |
2.1 |
| 2009 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
1.3 |
2.1 |
Notes
1. Age-standardised to the Australian population as at 30 June 2001. Asthma classified according to the International Classification of Disease, 9th edition (ICD9) code 493 and 10th revision (ICD-10) codes J45 and J46. Deaths coded to ICD-9 were converted to ICD-10 using conversion factors (see A1.11.3 in Asthma in Australia 2011).
2. Because attribution of death due to asthma is more certain among those aged 5–34, this age group is commonly used for examining time trends. In older people, other causes of death, in particular chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cause difficulties in the attribution of causes of death.
Source: ACAM and AIHW analysis of AIHW National Mortality Database.
Trends in asthma deaths, older males and females, 1998 to 2009
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
| Males 45–54 |
1.4 |
1.0 |
1.9 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
0.6 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
0.8 |
| Females 45–54 |
2.3 |
2.1 |
2.2 |
1.1 |
2.1 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
| Males 55–69 |
4.3 |
3.1 |
3.2 |
3.4 |
2.2 |
1.0 |
1.6 |
1.9 |
1.6 |
1.8 |
1.6 |
| Females 55–69 |
4.5 |
4.8 |
4.5 |
4.2 |
3.4 |
2.1 |
1.8 |
2.9 |
2.7 |
2.8 |
3.0 |
| Males 70+ |
13.3 |
11.0 |
9.9 |
9.2 |
11.2 |
6.7 |
5.7 |
9.4 |
8.2 |
10.1 |
8.1 |
| Females 70+ |
18.4 |
15.2 |
16.2 |
14.6 |
13.2 |
13.0 |
12.7 |
16.4 |
13.1 |
14.9 |
13.8 |
Notes
1. Age standardised to the Australian population as at 30 June 2001. Asthma classified according to the International Classification of Disease, 9th edition (ICD9) code 493 and 10th revision (ICD-10) codes J45 and J46. Deaths coded to ICD-9 were converted to ICD-10 using conversion factors (see A1.11.3 in Asthma in Australia 2011).
2. Because attribution of death due to asthma is more certain among those aged 5–34, this age group is commonly used for examining time trends. In older people, other causes of death, in particular chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cause difficulties in the attribution of causes of death.
Source: AIHW analysis of AIHW National Mortality Database.