Last year there were 14,400 deaths registered in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 3% from 2008. Last year also saw the lowest death rate in the history of Northern Ireland.These findings are contained in provisional 2009 mortality figures released today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

Fall in mortality

The fall in mortality witnessed over the last number of decades has helped drive the ageing of the population. One outcome of this is the increasing number of deaths of the very elderly; indeed last year saw the largest number of deaths of centenarians ever (98 deaths).

Cancer most common factor in deaths, rise in deaths caused by Alzheimer's

Whilst over half of deaths are caused by three main diseases: cancer (3,900 deaths), ischaemic heart disease (2,300 deaths) and stroke (1,200 deaths), the ageing of the population has also driven changes in causes of death. Over the last ten years we have seen a 40% increase in deaths due to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In 2009, there were 710 deaths due to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

A NISRA spokesperson said: "Last year we witnessed the lowest death rate ever recorded in Northern Ireland. Mortality rates today are nearly half of those seen thirty years ago. Cancer continues to be the most common cause of death. However as the population ages we are observing more deaths of the very elderly with increasing numbers caused by Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.”

Summary of statistics

• In 2009, there were 14,413 deaths registered in Northern Ireland, a decrease of 494 deaths or 3% on the 14,907 deaths registered in 2008;
• The overall crude death rate in Northern Ireland has fallen significantly over the last thirty years from 11.0 deaths per 1,000 population in 1979 to 8.1 deaths per 1,000 population in 2009; the lowest death rate on record;
• There has been a marked reduction in age-specific death rates across all age-groups over the last thirty years. Indeed, if the age-specific mortality rates of thirty years ago applied today the number of deaths would have been nearly 27,000. The actual mortality observed is around half this;
• The majority of people die in hospital. Last year 51% of deaths occurred in hospitals with 19% in nursing homes/hospices and the remaining 30% in other places (e.g. at home, at work etc); and
• More deaths occur in the winter with last year higher numbers of deaths occurring in January and December. On average there are over 20% more deaths in the winter months of December and January than the monthly average.

Age at Death

• Over the last thirty years the reduction in the number of deaths has occurred alongside the population increasing in size and an older age-structure. Last year there were 2,400 fewer deaths than in 1979. However in 2009 there were 17% more people in the population than in 1979 and 77% more people aged 75 and over;
• In 2009 the average age at death was 71.6 years for males and 78.2 years for females. This is an increase of five years for males and six years for females over equivalent figures from 1979; and
• There were 98 deaths of centenarians in 2009, of which 16 were males and 82 were females. This is the highest number of deaths of centenarians ever recorded in Northern Ireland. In contrast, there were 25 deaths of centenarians in 1979.

Mortality by Gender and Marital Status

• Female deaths (7,499) outnumbered male deaths (6,914) in 2009, giving a ratio of 108 female deaths for every 100 male deaths; and
• of men whose deaths were registered during 2009, 52% were married at the time of death, while 22% were widowed and 21% were single. In contrast, of women whose deaths were registered during 2009, 56% were widows at the time of death, with a further 25% married and 15% single.

Deaths by Area

• At Health and Social Care Trust level, crude death rates ranged from 10.0 deaths per 1,000 population in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust area to 7.3 deaths per 1,000 population in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area; and
• Belfast Local Government District had the highest crude death rate (10.2 deaths per 1,000 population) of all Local Government Districts while the lowest crude death rate (6.0) was in Magherafelt Local Government District.

Cause of Death

• Cancer, all circulatory diseases and all respiratory diseases accounted for nearly three-quarters (72%) of all deaths in 2009. Indeed, last year over half of all deaths can be attributed to three specific causes; cancer (3,885 deaths), ischaemic heart disease (2,305 deaths) and stroke (1,175 deaths);
• Deaths due to Alzheimer’s disease have increased over recent years, with 241 deaths in 2009 (76 men and 165 women) compared to 211 deaths (68 men and 143 women) in 2001;
• In 2009, 472 deaths were due to other dementias (130 men and 342 women) this compares to 298 deaths (78 men and 220 women) in 2001; and
• Deaths classified as ‘events of undetermined intent’ and ‘intentional self-harm’ are reported jointly as suicide. In 2009 there were 260 such deaths registered in Northern Ireland, 205 were males and 55 were females.

 Further more detailed statistics are available in the full release at the NISRA website