Dementia caused more than 10% of deaths in Australia for the first time — The Guardian
In Australia, dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, accounted for more than 10% of all registered deaths for the first time in 2025. According to The Guardian, the Australian Bureau of Statistics registered 188,421 deaths, of which 19,019 were caused by dementia.
Dementia has been the leading cause of death in the country since 2024. Other leading causes of death in 2025 included ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke, lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.
Need for patient support
Dementia Australia chief executive Professor Tanya Buchanan said more active action was needed in response to the spread of dementia. According to her, approximately 446,500 people in Australia are living with dementia, while another 1.7 million people are involved in caring for them.
Buchanan noted that funding for specialised services, support and prevention is not keeping pace with the growing impact of the disease, while stigmatisation of people with dementia persists.
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Asthma mortality
The statistics also recorded the highest number of asthma deaths in a decade. In 2025, 484 Australians died from the disease, compared with 478 in 2024. Nearly two-thirds of deaths from both asthma and dementia were among women.
Asthma Australia chief executive Kate Miranda said inadequate asthma control increases risks and that many deaths related to the disease can be prevented. She cited research showing a decline in the proportion of adults with well-controlled asthma and worsening adherence to inhaled corticosteroid therapy.
The number of deaths caused by the effects of drugs also increased in 2025, to 2,063 from 2,007 a year earlier. Opioids and benzodiazepines were most frequently involved in such cases, while the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported a significant increase in deaths following the use of stimulants, including methamphetamine.
