Avoidable mortality in Victoria between 1979 and 2001.

OBJECTIVE

To describe trends in avoidable mortality (AM) in Victoria by sex, degree of socio-economic disadvantage and remoteness.

METHODS

The analysis is based on mortality and population data for 1979-2001 supplied by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for Victoria. Total and disease-specific AM rates were age standardised using the direct method. For the period between 1997 and 2001, comparisons of total AM rates by sex were made between metropolitan and rural local government areas (LGAs), and between LGAs grouped into quintiles based on socio-economic disadvantage and categories of remoteness.

RESULTS

Total AM rates declined significantly (p < 0.05) in both males and females between 1979 and 2001, but were significantly higher in males compared with females. Total AM rates were significantly higher in rural compared with metropolitan LGAs, from 1997 to 2001 in males and in 1998 in females. Total AM rates in the least disadvantaged quintile were significantly lower than those in the most disadvantaged quintile over the entire five-year period in males and in three years in females. Total AM rates were highest in remote LGAs and lowest in highly accessible LGAs. There were significant declines in ischaemic heart disease, stroke and road traffic accident AM rates among males. In females, IHD, stroke, breast and colon cancer AM rates declined significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite large declines in AM in Victoria, there are significant differences in rates between the sexes and in the population based on socio-economic status or remoteness. These results provide opportunities for policy makers to prioritise public health and health services interventions, targeting population groups and specific disease conditions to reduce health inequalities.