Deaths
In 2021–22, around 3 in 5 injury deaths (61%) were for males (9,000 deaths, ASR of 65 per 100,000 persons) and 39% were for females (5,700 deaths, ASR of 32 per 100,000 persons). Males were more likely to die from any cause of injury than females. Falls was the leading cause of death for both sexes, and even though more females than males died from falls (about 3,300 and 3,000 respectively), the mortality rate from falls was still higher for males than females (about 20 and 16 per 100,000 persons, respectively) (Figure 9).
Figure 9: Number and age-standardised rate (per 100,000 persons) of injury deaths by injury cause and sex, Australia, 2021–22
Notes:
- Numbers and age-standardised rates of deaths are represented in rows, by sex.
- Age-standardised rates per 100,000 population.
Sources: AIHW National Mortality Database and ABS National, state and territory population.
Deaths increased with age across sexes, with higher mortality among males as compared to females from age 10 onwards (Figure 7). Over half of injury deaths (54%) were for people aged 70 and over.
Trends by age
Over the past decade, injury mortality rates have remained steady or decreased for most younger age groups but increased for adults aged 45 and over (Figure 8).