- *Dementia, Alzheimer's claiming more lives
- *Accounted for almost 8280 deaths in 2009
- *Are now the third biggest killer of Aussies
DEMENTIA and Alzheimer's Disease are claiming more than twice as many Australian lives than they did a decade ago, new data has found.
According to the latest Causes of Death report, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today, the diseases accounted for almost 8280 deaths in 2009 - making it the third biggest killer of Aussies overall.
The rise in degenerative brain conditions prompted a peak advocacy body to call for more funding from the state and federal governments come budget time.
"We need more services in regional Australia, earlier diagnosis and much greater awareness and understanding of the illness," said John Watkins, CEO of Alzheimer's Australia.
Heart disease remained at the top of the list for both men and women, where it's stood since 2000.
However, the number of lives the disease claimed in 2009 had dropped four per cent over the last 10 years - killing about 12,000 men and almost 10,500 women.
Stroke was second on the list overall, claiming 11,220 lives, and lung cancer came in fourth with about 7790 fatalities.
Meanwhile, diabetes and external causes such as accidents and homicides, were over-represented among deaths in the indigenous population.
Diabetes was responsible for eight per cent of deaths, compared to just under three per cent of non-indigenous people.
External causes claimed the lives of almost 14 per cent of the indigenous population, compared to about six per cent of non-indigenous.
In 2009, there were 140,760 deaths registered in Australia - about 3000 less than the year before - and the total was split almost evenly between men and women.
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