Leading Causes of Death In New Zealand
According to the 2021(¹) data, the top 3 leading causes of death in New Zealand were:
- Cancer: 10,487 total deaths
- Males: 5,565 deaths
- Females: 4,922 deaths
- Ischaemic Heart Disease: 4,599 total deaths
- Males: 2,838 deaths
- Females: 1,761 deaths
- Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke): 2,148 total deaths
- Males: 894 deaths
- Females: 1,254 deaths
Together, these three causes accounted for 17,234 deaths in 2021, with cancer alone representing about 61% of deaths among these top three causes.
There is a significant gap between cancer and other causes, with cancer causing more than twice as many deaths as ischaemic heart disease. Together, these three causes accounted for 17,234 deaths in 2021, with cancer alone representing approximately 61% of deaths among these three leading causes.
| Cause of Death | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All cancer | 1,396 | 1,724 | 2,436 | 2,952 | 3,548 | 4,120 | 4,511 | 5,411 |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 2,066 | 3,135 | 4,228 | 4,413 | 3,884 | 3,266 | 2,901 | 2,637 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 770 | 1,072 | 1,309 | 1,288 | 1,021 | 1,048 | 945 | 858 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 80 | 124 | 154 | 198 | 203 | 408 | 391 | 544 |
| Motor vehicle accidents | 192 | 253 | 475 | 438 | 545 | 325 | 293 | 239 |
| Cause of Death | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All cancer | 1,256 | 1,566 | 2,024 | 2,513 | 3,198 | 3,500 | 4,082 | 4,696 |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 1,056 | 1,836 | 2,560 | 3,046 | 2,923 | 2,704 | 2,491 | 1,731 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 1,085 | 1,465 | 1,904 | 1,870 | 1,579 | 1,620 | 1,522 | 1,208 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 152 | 156 | 212 | 248 | 211 | 394 | 376 | 410 |
| Motor vehicle accidents | 46 | 103 | 174 | 184 | 219 | 157 | 121 | 101 |
The data shows cancer deaths in New Zealand jumped from about 2,600 in 1948 to around 10,500 in 2021 – that’s a big 302% increase!
But don’t panic – these numbers need context.
New Zealand’s population grew a lot during this time, and people now live longer than they used to. Plus, doctors are better at spotting cancer today.
Both men and women showed similar increases: guys went up 305% and ladies 299%. Think of it like a growing city – more people naturally means more of everything, including sadly, illnesses.
Total Cancer Deaths (All Sex):
- 1948: 2,607 deaths
- 2021: 10,487 deaths
- This represents a 302% increase over 73 years
Gender Breakdown Over Time:
Males:
- 1948: 1,374 deaths
- 2021: 5,565 deaths
- Increase of 305%
Females:
- 1948: 1,233 deaths
- 2021: 4,922 deaths
- Increase of 299%
From 1948 to 2021 in New Zealand, heart disease was like a sneaky player that affected way more men than women. The scoreboard looks like this:
- Team Boys: 2,838 cases
- Team Girls: 1,761 cases
Here’s the wild part: for every 10 women who had heart problems, about 16 men were affected. That’s a huge difference! It’s as if the boys’ team got caught off-guard 61% more often than the girls’ team.
You might be wondering, “Why did this happen?” Well, it’s similar to how different players have different playing styles. Men and women have:
- Different daily habits (like what they eat and how much they exercise)
- Different body chemistry (kind of like having different team uniforms, but inside their bodies!)
- Different ways of asking for help when they don’t feel well
The total score (4,599 cases) indicates that heart disease presented a significant challenge for everyone in New Zealand during those years. It is akin to facing a particularly formidable opponent of which both teams needed to be wary!
Back in 1948, about 1,700 Kiwis died from strokes each year. That number kept climbing (like our mountain climber!) until it reached its highest point in 1970, with around 3,200 deaths. It’s a bit like watching a rollercoaster, right? 🎢
But here’s the good news! After 1970, those numbers started dropping. By 2021, we’re looking at about 2,148 deaths per year. That’s still serious, but way better than before. It’s like the country learned to better fight against strokes!
Here’s something interesting: strokes affect women more than men. In 2021, about 58% of stroke deaths were women (that’s 1,254 ladies compared to 894 men). Why? Well, women usually live longer, and age makes strokes more likely. Plus, women’s bodies can react differently to stroke risks.
Think of strokes as being in third place on the “causes of death podium” – after heart disease and cancer. But unlike cancer (which keeps going up) or heart attacks (which had a huge peak and then dropped), strokes did their own thing. They peaked earlier and came down more smoothly, like a gentle ski slope rather than a steep cliff.
The cool part? Doctors and scientists got better at preventing and treating strokes over time. That’s why we see fewer deaths now than in the 1970s. It’s like they found better shields and weapons to fight this health battle!
The fight against strokes isn’t over, but New Zealand has made some awesome progress!
Let’s break down what happened to New Zealand’s health numbers in 2020-2021 – it’s quite an eye-opener! 🔍
Picture this: it’s like watching all our health challenges grow larger at once. Cancer, our biggest health battle, increased by about 4%—that’s 380 more cases than before. Heart disease also jumped, like a kangaroo on a trampoline, with 231 more cases (that’s a 5% increase!). Even strokes rose by 82 cases (4% more).
But hold onto your hats! The real shocker came from breathing problems. These numbers shot up like a rocket!
- Chronic breathing problems? Up by a whopping 20% (288 more cases)
- Flu and pneumonia? Jumped up by 14.5% (59 more cases)
- Other heart problems? Climbed by 4% (81 more cases)
Now, you might be thinking, “What’s the deal with all these increases?” 🤔 Well, it’s like solving a mystery! Many people think COVID-19 might have played a part in this story, especially with all those breathing problems increasing. However, the tricky part is we can’t say for sure because COVID-19 isn’t listed separately in our health records for this period.
Looking ahead, we are like weather forecasters without our radar – we can see what happened in 2021, but we are still waiting to see the numbers for 2022, 2023, and 2024. Did these numbers continue climbing like a mountain goat, or did they come back down like a parachutist? Only time (and more data!) will tell!
The big question is: was 2021 just having a bad hair day, or was it the start of a bigger trend? We will need to wait for the newer numbers to solve this puzzle!
Remember, behind each of these numbers are real people and families. This is why keeping track of these changes is extremely important for everyone in New Zealand.
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