(A NISU Routine Surveillance Data Report)

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Introduction

For the purpose of electronic publication via the World Wide Web, these aggregations are divided into 5 sections. Each section contains counts and rates for males, females and persons. For the less detailed aggregations (sections 1 to 4), summaries are included for each State and Australia while, for the most detailed aggregation (section 5), summaries are for Australia only.

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NISU has also developed more detailed versions of these data - for more information contact NISU.

Explanatory Notes - Data Sources

Death Data

Death data are obtained in unit record form from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. In these tables, each death has been reported according to the State or Territory in which it was registered, which may differ from place of usual residence. Also, each death is reported according to the calendar year in which it was registered. About 9% of deaths occurred in a year other than the year in which it was registered.

Population Data

Population data are obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Values up to and including 1992 are final estimates, adjusted following the 1991 Census. Estimates for 1995 are the latest available from ABS. State and Territory populations are based on place of usual residence.

Age adjustment

Age adjustment of data is used to calculate overall population rates which take into account the age distribution of the underlying population. This permits more reliable comparisons to be made between States with different age profiles and over time as age profiles shift. In accordance with Australian Institute of Health and Welfare guidelines, age adjustment is to the 1991 Australian population. These age adjusted rates appear in rate tables under the heading Age Adj.

Use of data based on small numbers of deaths

The tables in this report have been abridged to suppress rate information based on 3 or fewer cases. Care must be taken when interpreting rates based on small numbers of deaths. Information on methods for comparing full enumeration based rate data, taking into account the number of cases can be obtained from NISU.

Age classifications

The age of the deceased was unknown for a small number of deaths. These are included only on case count based tables under the heading NS

Drowning: Interpretation of time series.

Drowning is classified in a number of ways in this document. It is presented in Sections 1, 3 and 5. The level of detail is greatest in Section 5. This detailed information became available after the addition of special drowning codes to the ABS deaths data. These codes were introduced in States and Territories at various times during the 1980s. Nation-wide application commenced with deaths registered in 1992.

The drowning data tables in Section 5 further divide deaths coded to E910, according to the new drowning codes. This publication covers the period 1991-1995, and the detailed drowning codes were only available from 1992. Hence, the drowning tables in Section 5 show a break in the time series, and care must be used when interpreting them. There are two phases.

Pre 1991

No detailed drowning codes were available at national level. Section 5 does not contain any more information than Section 3.

1992 onwards

Drowning codes were available at national level, and the data are summarised in Section 5. The reliability of the newly introduced coding system is unknown, and caution should be used when interpreting differences between 1992 and subsequent values.

Injury Cause Classifications

Information in the mortality collection originates with coroners, medical practitioners and persons familiar with the deceased, is recorded by State and Territory Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and is further processed by the ABS. The key data item for present purposes, 'Cause of death', contains the four digit International Classification of Diseases (ICD9) external causes code (E-Code) attributed by ABS.

This publication includes all deaths which have a Cause of death code (E-Code) in the range 800.0 to 999.9. The E-Codes are defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Supplementary Classification of External Causes of Injury and Poisoning. Revision 9 of the ICD has been used to code deaths registered in Australia since the beginning of 1979. Readers should recognise that characteristics of the ICD9 coding system and of the data collection system in use results in some injury deaths being coded in ways that lead to their omission from these tables.

Categories of mode of injury death

Many of the E-Code categories have been aggregated by NISU for more informative presentation in tables. They are based on the National Data Standards for Injury Surveillance December 1995 edition. Categories available are as follows.

Contents

This classification considers causes of injury regardless of intent. Accidental and intentional injuries are counted together to the extent permitted by the data source.
Peruse a list of the categories available.

Section 2 - National Data Standards for Injury Surveillance Intent Categories.

This classification considers whether injuries were accidental, self inflicted or inflicted by another person.
Peruse a list of the categories available.

Section 3 - Major E-Code Groups (summary of all injury causes).

This classification is based on the major sections of the ICD External Causes classification. Major groups of injuries are identified - self inflicted and intentional injuries are contained in separate groups.
Peruse a list of the categories available.

Section 4 - Transport Groups.

This classification considers those cases where there was a transport related cause. It divides public road,other road and other vehicle categories and water and air transport related catgories.
Peruse a list of the categories available.

Section 5 - Detailed mode of injury groups.

These are the most detailed data. Please note that data is ordered by Accidental, Self Inflicted (suicide) and Intentional (interpersonal violence) causes.
Peruse a list of the categories available.

Drowning codes are included in the ABS deaths data set and permit a more detailed classification of drowning from 1992 on. However, please consider the guidelines for drowning before interpreting such data.

Section 6 - Injury Death Data Summaries

• Firearm related deaths
• Injury by Firearms Australia 1994
• Youth Suicide and Self-Injury Australia