Nearly a quarter of male deaths in Orange could potentially have been avoided, new data from an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIWH) study reveals.
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The AIWH's top 20 causes of deaths in the Orange Local Government Area in the 2017 calendar year is dominated by a raft of cancers and other illnesses, with accidental falls the only entry in the top 20 to fall outside of the realm of diseases.
But 22 per cent of the 189 male deaths recorded were classed as 'potentially avoidable'.
Skin cancer is one of the main potentially avoidable causes of death, while hypertensive heart and renal disease and ischaemic heart disease are a couple of the circulatory system diseases also on the list.
Other avoidable causes of death include fires and burns, transport accidents, assault, events of undermined intent and exposure to forces of nature, to name a few of the 46 listed.
According to the data, 365 people died in Orange in 2017 and the median age was 81 years old.
Thirty-four per cent of these deaths were classed as premature (under 75) and 17 per cent were deemed potentially avoidable.
Of these deaths, 189 were males averaging 79 years old while the average age for females is 84.
Death data is used to examine patterns and trends to help explain differences and changes in the health of the Australian population. Causes of death are documented on a death certificate.
The statistics are based on the underlying cause of death only.
In Bathurst males are more likely to die prematurely, that is before 75 years old.
According to the data, 305 people died in Bathurst during 2017 at an average age of 79 and 34 per cent of those deaths were before the age of 75.
In Dubbo 411 people died during 2017, the average age of death was 79 years old, 39 per cent of deaths were premature (under the age of 75 years) and 19 per cent were potentially avoidable deaths.
The median age of death for males in Dubbo was 77, females were more likely to live until 82 years-old.
These patterns are similar Australia wide. The leading cause of death for males in 2016 was heart disease whereas females were more likely to die from dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
In NSW, 52,778 people died in 2017 with a median age of 82. Just under a third of these deaths deemed premature.
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