Lithgow health: The conditions killing us in the Lithgow local government area

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s latest data analyses the most common causes of death across Australia from 2012 to 2016, and reveals the top causes by local government area.

Across Australia, the biggest killer of men and women during the five year period was heart disease, this followed by dementia and Alzheimer disease, stroke, lung cancer and lung disease.

Heart disease was also the biggest killer in the Lithgow local government area, with 106 deaths recorded during the five-year period, the equivalent of 10.7 per cent of all deaths.

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The stark difference in Lithgow, when compared to the national mortality rate, was much higher rates of death by stroke, cancer of unknown or ill-defined primary site, influenza and pneumonia and heart failure.

Strokes accounted for 10 per cent of all deaths with 99 in total, however, this was 69 per cent higher than the national rate.

Cancer of unknown or ill-defined primary site killed 37 people (3.7 per cent of deaths in Lithgow. This was 69 per cent higher than the national rate.

Influenza and pneumonia killed 37 people (3.7 per cent of the mortality rate), which was almost 2.5 times higher than Australia’s mortality rate.

While, heart failure killed 29 people (2.9 per cent), which was 58 per cent higher than the national rate.

Death by suicide ranked 11^th overall in the list for cause of mortality in Lithgow with 20 deaths during the five-year period, 17 were male and three were female.

Heart disease rated as the top killer of men in Lithgow, followed stroke and lung cancer.

For women, stroke topped the list followed by heart disease and dementia and Alzheimer disease.

If you are troubled by this report or experiencing a personal crisis, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or visit www.lifeline.org.au or www.beyondblue.org.au.