Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, was responsible for more than 17,500 deaths last year, marking a significant health concern. According to Lauren Moran, the Head of Mortality Statistics at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the number of deaths attributed to dementia has surged by 39 percent over the past decade. This alarming rise underscores the growing impact of dementia on public health.

Interestingly, ischemic heart diseases have reached their lowest rate in the historical data series, highlighting a positive trend in the management or prevention of this particular ailment. Yet, as heart disease rates decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s continue to climb, now standing as the leading causes of death, a shift that aligns with Australia’s ageing demographic.

In 2024, the prevalence of dementia-related deaths reflects the challenges posed by an ageing population. More than two-thirds of these deaths occurred in individuals aged over 75, a noticeable increase from 66.1 percent a decade ago and 63.3 percent two decades ago. This trend emphasizes the need for enhanced healthcare strategies and support systems for the elderly to better address the challenges posed by dementia.

The leading cause of death in 2024 aligns with Australia’s ageing population.

Over two-thirds of the deaths were among people aged over 75 years old, compared to 66.1 per cent 10 years ago and 63.3 per cent twenty years ago. 

“People are now more likely to live to an age where they have a higher risk of developing dementia,” Moran said.

“This is especially true for women who have longer life expectancies. Today’s data shows that 62.4 per cent of people who died from dementia were women.

“We’ve also seen that dementia has been the leading cause of death for women since 2016,” Moran said.

The gap between dementia and ischemic heart disease deaths has been narrowing for a while, with dementia accounting for 9.1 per cent of total deaths, while heart disease accounted for 9.3 per cent in 2023.

In 2024, dementia accounted for 9.4 per cent of total deaths, and ischaemic heart diseases accounted for 8.7 per cent.