The following table shows the Australian mortality rates for MND as the underlying cause of death. See below for mortality rates for MND as associated cause of death.
Information about these statistics
Data up to and including 2005 are from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2006. GRIM (General Record of Incidence of Mortality) Books. AIHW: Canberra.
Data from 2006–2019 are from the Analysis of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Mortality Database.
Data from 1979–1996 are adjusted to ICD10 standards using *comparability factor 1.13.
Note: The mortality data in the AIHW National Mortality Database were provided by the Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the National Coroners Information System.
AIHW and ABS data are available only for deaths.
Year |
Sex |
Mortality |
Mean Age at Death (years) |
Age-standardised death rate per 100,000 |
Percent all causes of death |
2019 |
Male |
443 |
69.0 |
3.10 |
0.51% |
Female |
341 |
70.9 |
2.13 |
0.43% |
Combined |
784 |
69.9 |
2.58 |
0.47% |
2018 |
Male |
394 |
69.5 |
2.84 |
0.47% |
Female |
303 |
69.8 |
1.95 |
0.40% |
Combined |
697 |
69.6 |
2.34 |
0.44% |
2017 |
Male |
359 |
69.3 |
2.62 |
0.43% |
Female |
298 |
70.4 |
1.94 |
0.38% |
Combined |
657 |
69.8 |
2.25 |
0.41% |
2016 |
Male |
395 |
69.2 |
2.98 |
0.48% |
Female |
322 |
71.2 |
2.16 |
0.42% |
Combined |
717 |
70.1 |
2.55 |
0.45% |
2015 |
Male |
389 |
69.6 |
3.05 |
0.48% |
Female |
300 |
71.0 |
2.07 |
0.39% |
Combined |
689 |
70.2 |
2.52 |
0.43% |
2014 |
Male |
340 |
69.1 |
2.71 |
0.43% |
Female |
260 |
71.9 |
1.84 |
0.35% |
Combined |
600 |
70.3 |
2.25 |
0.39% |
2013 |
Male |
389 |
69.6 |
3.24 |
0.51% |
Female |
322 |
71.6 |
2.31 |
0.45% |
Combined |
711 |
70.5 |
2.74 |
0.48% |
2012 |
Male |
390 |
70.4 |
3.3 |
0.52% |
Female |
288 |
71.8 |
2.13 |
0.40% |
Combined |
678 |
71 |
2.66 |
0.46% |
2011 |
Male |
391 |
69 |
3.45 |
0.52% |
Female |
286 |
71.9 |
2.14 |
0.40% |
Combined |
677 |
70.2 |
2.74 |
0.46% |
2010 |
Male |
366 |
69 |
3.27 |
0.50% |
Female |
282 |
70.7 |
2.21 |
0.40% |
Combined |
648 |
69.7 |
2.69 |
0.45% |
2009 |
Male |
365 |
68.3 |
3.31 |
0.50% |
Female |
232 |
72.5 |
1.84 |
0.34% |
Combined |
597 |
69.9 |
2.54 |
0.42% |
2008 |
Male |
343 |
68.8 |
3.21 |
0.47% |
Female |
268 |
71.2 |
2.19 |
0.38% |
Combined |
611 |
69.9 |
2.66 |
0.42% |
2007 |
Male |
341 |
68.8 |
3.31 |
0.48% |
Female |
254 |
72.1 |
2.1 |
0.38% |
Combined |
595 |
70.2 |
2.66 |
0.43% |
2006 |
Male |
294 |
69.5 |
2.94 |
0.43% |
Female |
239 |
71.7 |
2.05 |
0.37% |
Combined |
533 |
70.5 |
2.46 |
0.40% |
2005 |
Male |
273 |
70.1 |
2.8 |
0.41% |
Female |
226 |
71.2 |
1.94 |
0.36% |
Combined |
499 |
70.6 |
2.31 |
0.38% |
2004 |
Male |
273 |
68.5 |
2.88 |
0.40% |
Female |
234 |
71.1 |
2.1 |
0.36% |
Combined |
507 |
69.7 |
2.44 |
0.38% |
2003 |
Male |
275 |
67.9 |
2.92 |
0.40% |
Female |
255 |
70.8 |
2.3 |
0.40% |
Combined |
530 |
69.3 |
2.6 |
0.40% |
2002 |
Male |
294 |
69.7 |
3.25 |
0.43% |
Female |
207 |
70.5 |
1.92 |
0.32% |
Combined |
501 |
70 |
2.51 |
0.37% |
2001 |
Male |
280 |
69.4 |
3.26 |
0.42% |
Female |
191 |
71 |
1.8 |
0.31% |
Combined |
471 |
70 |
2.43 |
0.37% |
2000 |
Male |
253 |
69.2 |
3.06 |
0.38% |
Female |
204 |
72.8 |
1.95 |
0.33% |
Combined |
457 |
70.8 |
2.43 |
0.36% |
1999 |
Male |
251 |
68.7 |
3.04 |
0.37% |
Female |
184 |
70.4 |
1.83 |
0.30% |
Combined |
435 |
69.4 |
2.35 |
0.34% |
1998 |
Male |
231 |
69.1 |
2.92 |
0.34% |
Female |
200 |
72.1 |
2.02 |
0.33% |
Combined |
431 |
70.5 |
2.42 |
0.34% |
1997 |
Male |
175 |
67.3 |
2.23 |
0.26% |
Female |
192 |
69.9 |
2 |
0.31% |
Combined |
367 |
68.7 |
2.09 |
0.28% |
1996 |
Male |
238 |
68.3 |
3.2 |
0.35% |
Female |
147 |
70.8 |
1.56 |
0.24% |
Combined |
385 |
69.2 |
2.26 |
0.30% |
1995 |
Male |
236 |
67 |
3.15 |
0.36% |
Female |
184 |
70.7 |
2.01 |
0.31% |
Combined |
420 |
68.6 |
2.52 |
0.34% |
1994 |
Male |
231 |
67.5 |
3.2 |
0.34% |
Female |
171 |
70.8 |
1.89 |
0.29% |
Combined |
401 |
68.9 |
2.46 |
0.32% |
1993 |
Male |
216 |
68.6 |
3 |
0.33% |
Female |
163 |
70.3 |
1.85 |
0.29% |
Combined |
379 |
69.4 |
2.34 |
0.31% |
1992 |
Male |
199 |
67.9 |
2.94 |
0.30% |
Female |
168 |
72.3 |
1.94 |
0.29% |
Combined |
367 |
69.9 |
2.38 |
0.30% |
1991 |
Male |
170 |
68.3 |
2.58 |
0.26% |
Female |
149 |
69.1 |
1.75 |
0.27% |
Combined |
319 |
68.7 |
2.07 |
0.27% |
1990 |
Male |
207 |
67 |
3.05 |
0.32% |
Female |
137 |
68 |
1.68 |
0.25% |
Combined |
344 |
67.4 |
2.28 |
0.29% |
1989 |
Male |
194 |
66.6 |
3.09 |
0.29% |
Female |
168 |
69.1 |
2.1 |
0.29% |
Combined |
362 |
67.7 |
2.51 |
0.29% |
1988 |
Male |
201 |
67.6 |
3.24 |
0.31% |
Female |
124 |
67 |
1.59 |
0.23% |
Combined |
325 |
67.4 |
2.29 |
0.27% |
1987 |
Male |
154 |
66.8 |
2.48 |
0.24% |
Female |
151 |
67.7 |
1.94 |
0.28% |
Combined |
305 |
67.3 |
2.15 |
0.26% |
1986 |
Male |
134 |
66.2 |
2.25 |
0.22% |
Female |
134 |
69.9 |
1.76 |
0.25% |
Combined |
269 |
68 |
1.96 |
0.23% |
1985 |
Male |
174 |
64.4 |
2.86 |
0.27% |
Female |
131 |
69.4 |
1.77 |
0.24% |
Combined |
305 |
66.6 |
2.26 |
0.26% |
1984 |
Male |
132 |
64.5 |
2.28 |
0.22% |
Female |
106 |
68 |
1.51 |
0.21% |
Combined |
238 |
66.1 |
1.85 |
0.22% |
1983 |
Male |
137 |
65.1 |
2.39 |
0.23% |
Female |
114 |
68.6 |
1.59 |
0.23% |
Combined |
251 |
66.7 |
1.94 |
0.23% |
1982 |
Male |
131 |
64.9 |
2.38 |
0.21% |
Female |
129 |
68.3 |
1.85 |
0.25% |
Combined |
260 |
66.6 |
2.07 |
0.23% |
1981 |
Male |
122 |
63.8 |
2.21 |
0.20% |
Female |
104 |
69 |
1.55 |
0.22% |
Combined |
226 |
66.2 |
1.86 |
0.21% |
1980 |
Male |
144 |
66 |
2.72 |
0.24% |
Female |
99 |
65.7 |
1.49 |
0.21% |
Combined |
243 |
65.9 |
2.01 |
0.22% |
1979 |
Male |
121 |
66.2 |
2.32 |
0.20% |
Female |
80 |
66.2 |
1.24 |
0.17% |
Combined |
201 |
66.2 |
1.7 |
0.19% |
MND as an associated cause of death
The following table shows the Australian mortality rates for MND as the associated cause of death and the total number of deaths of people with MND. Associated causes are defined by the AIHW as other diseases or conditions that contributed to the death but which were not recorded as the underlying cause.
Data on underlying causes of death up to and including 2005 are from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2006. GRIM (General Record of Incidence of Mortality) Books. AIHW: Canberra.
Data on underlying causes of death from 2006–2018 are from the Analysis of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Mortality Database.
All data on associated causes of death are from the Analysis of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Mortality Database.
Note: The mortality data in the AIHW National Mortality Database were provided by the Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the National Coroners Information System.
|
Deaths with MND as underlying cause |
Deaths with MND as associated cause |
Total deaths of all people with MND* |
Percent of all causes of death with MND as either underlying or associated cause |
2019 |
784 |
78 |
862 |
0.52% |
2018 |
697 |
63 |
760 |
0.47% |
2017 |
657 |
77 |
734 |
0.45% |
2016 |
717 |
74 |
790 |
0.50% |
2015 |
689 |
71 |
760 |
0.48% |
2014 |
600 |
80 |
680 |
0.44% |
2013 |
711 |
76 |
787 |
0.53% |
2012 |
678 |
117 |
795 |
0.54% |
2011 |
677 |
113 |
790 |
0.54% |
2010 |
648 |
113 |
761 |
0.53% |
2009 |
599 |
138 |
737 |
0.52% |
2008 |
611 |
129 |
740 |
0.51% |
2007 |
595 |
110 |
705 |
0.51% |
2006 |
533 |
130 |
663 |
0.50% |
2005 |
449 |
110 |
609 |
0.52% |
2004 |
507 |
116 |
623 |
0.47% |
2003 |
530 |
115 |
645 |
0.49% |
2002 |
501 |
108 |
609 |
0.45% |
2001 |
471 |
121 |
592 |
0.47% |
*All MND deaths is the sum of deaths listed with MND as an underlying cause or as an associated cause.
Prevalence of MND in Australia
To annually update the prevalence and number of Australians living with MND is diffcult. MND is not a notifiable disease so the numbers of those living with MND in Australia are estimates only.
In 2015, a Deloitte Access Economics report, commissioned by MND Australia, estimated there were 2,094 Australians living with MND. Sixty per cent of those were male and 40 per cent female. The highest prevalence rate was reported in males aged between 75 and 84. The prevalence was estimated to be 8.7 per 100,000 Australians, or 1 in 11,434 Australians.
If the Deloitte figure of 8.7 per 100,000 Australians is applied to 2018 preliminary population figures, we can estimate that there are currently 2,174 Australians living with MND.
On 30 June 2019, the state MND associations were supporting 1,562 people living with MND across Australia.
Economic analysis of Motor Neurone Disease in Australia. Deloitte Access Economics
*Comparability factor
In processing deaths registered from 1 January 1997, Australia adopted the use of the Automated Coding System (ACS) and introduced ICD10 codes. As a result, there is now a break in the underlying causes of death series between 1996 and 1997. The comparability factor provides a link between the two data series. An estimate of the number of deaths attributed to a particular cause for the 1979–1996 data (using post 1997 standards) can be produced by multiplying the number of deaths attributed to that cause by its corresponding comparability factor. Comparability factors close to 1.0 indicate there were no significant coding differences between automated ICD10 and manual ICD9 coding. The comparability factor to adjust 1979–1996 data for motor neurone disease (ICD10 G122), to post 1997 standards is 1.13.
The data presented here has been adjusted using the comparability factor of 1.13 so the series from 1979 -1996 and 1997 - 2010 can now be used as a continuous series.
No comparability factors are available for data from 1959 to 1978 so these years have not been included.
Incidence is the number of new cases of MND each year.
Incidence of MND in Australia is estimated as being the same as the death rate.
The death rate in 2011 was 1 in 36,500 or 2.74 in 100,000 people.
Prevalence is the number of people who are living with MND.
Prevalence is estimated as approximately 1 in 13,000 people.
This estimate would give a prevalence of approximately 1,900 people living in Australia with MND (population 22,342,000 in 2011).