Premature mortality in Australia 1983-1992, the first decade of the AIDS epidemic.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the trends in premature mortality due to selected causes in Australia and in selected States for the whole population and for adults aged 25 to 44 years.

DESIGN

Analysis of data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the National AIDS Registry for the 10 years from 1983 to 1992. Premature mortality was measured in terms of years of potential life lost before the age of 75 years (YPLL-75). Trends in premature mortality due to AIDS were compared with those for lung cancer, melanoma of the skin, breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, traffic accidents and suicide.

RESULTS

There have been marked increases in premature mortality due to AIDS and suicide in young men and an increase in deaths due to breast cancer in young women over the past decade. The overall number of potential years of life lost has remained constant, partially because these increases have been counterbalanced by declines in deaths from traffic accidents, acute myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease. The increasing trend in premature mortality due to AIDS is strongest in New South Wales, followed by Victoria and Queensland, with smaller increases in the other States and Territories.

CONCLUSIONS

Apparent advances in medical care have reduced premature deaths from acute myocardial infarction and stroke and public health measures are likely to have reduced traffic accident deaths; but at the same time there have been serious increases in HIV, suicide and breast cancer among young adults.