Preventable conditions such as coronary heart disease and
traffic accidents were two of the main reasons for the higher death
rates in regional and remote areas, according to a new report by
the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The report, Rural, regional and remote Australia: a study on
mortality, found that death rates in regional and remote areas
of Australia were higher than those in major cities.
'We found that death rates were about 10% higher in regional
areas, and as much as 70% higher in very remote areas,' said Sally
Bullock of the AIHW's Population Health Unit.
'The higher death rates in remote areas mainly reflects the
relatively higher proportions of Indigenous Australians in these
areas, and the higher rate of mortality for Indigenous Australians
overall,' Ms Bullock said.
'Interestingly, the analysis shows that people over age 65 who
live in remote areas have lower death rates than their counterparts
in major cities. The higher death rates are particularly
concentrated in people younger than 65,' she said.
For people aged less than 65 years, the major causes of elevated
deaths rates outside major cities were motor vehicle traffic
accidents (18%), coronary heart disease (13%) and suicide (9%).
The gap in death rates between major cities and regional and
remote areas did not change significantly between 1997-99 and
2002-04.
Higher death rates in more remote areas may also reflect higher
prevalence of behaviours associated with poorer health (for example
smoking or alcohol consumption) as well as any impact of location
(for example accessibility and availability of health
services).
18 December 2007
Further information: Ms Sally Bullock, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1008, mob. 0407 915 851.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. +61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of Rural, regional and
remote Australia: a study on mortality.