Deaths/mortality 2023 (ABS and NAC)
In 2023, there were 474 deaths with asthma as underlying cause in Australia, including 325 females and 149 males (see table below) (ref 1):
* Women over 75 are the most at risk, with 43% of asthma deaths in this age group in 2023 (Ref 2,3)
* Asthma deaths were nearly identical to last year, with a return to pre-pandemic level after seeing a reduction in 2021 due to pandemic measures resulting in fewer respiratory infections (ref 3)
* However, over the last 35 years, asthma deaths have halved, from 964 deaths in 1989 (ref 3)
The age-standardised death rate in 2023 was 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people (1.7 for females and 1.0 for males) which remains similar to before the pandemic. (ref 1)
Asthma deaths by state/territory and sex 2023 (ref 1)
| Asthma related deaths by state or territory and sex 2023 | ||||||
| Number | Standardised Death Rate | |||||
| State or Territory | Males | Females | Persons | Males | Females | Persons |
| ACT | 3 | 6 | 7 | np | np | np |
| NT | 3 | 1 | 4 | np | np | np |
| TAS | 7 | 11 | 15 | np | np | np |
| WA | 19 | 26 | 45 | np | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| SA | 17 | 29 | 42 | np | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| QLD | 15 | 62 | 77 | np | 1.6 | 1.1 |
| VIC | 36 | 74 | 109 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| NSW | 61 | 118 | 177 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Australia | 149 | 325 | 474 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.4 |
| Note: males + females does not equal persons here, and the sum of all states does not equal Australia | ||||||
NAC infographic (ref 2)
