Dementia Passes 10% of All Australian Deaths as Asthma Deaths Hit a Ten-Year High

Dementia has made up more than 10% of all deaths in Australia for the first time, according to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The data, released on Tuesday, also shows the number of people dying from asthma is at its highest level in a decade.

A total of 188,421 deaths were registered in 2025. Of those, 19,019 were caused by dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Dementia has been the leading cause of death in the country since 2024. The other main causes in 2025 were ischaemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke, lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

Dementia Australia's chief executive, Prof Tanya Buchanan, said the numbers point to an urgent need for action on a major public health issue. "The data underlines the critical need for more recognition and funding to support people living with dementia, their families and carers," she said.

Buchanan said an estimated 446,500 Australians are living with dementia, and a further 1.7 million people are involved in their care. She said investment in specific services, supports and prevention has not kept pace with the growing impact of the condition, and that stigma around dementia persists. "This needs to change," she said.

The ABS data also recorded 484 asthma deaths in 2025, up from 478 in 2024. That is the highest number in a decade. Women account for almost two-thirds of asthma deaths, and almost two-thirds of dementia deaths as well.

Asthma Australia's CEO, Kate Miranda, said poorly controlled asthma raises the risk of death and is a preventable factor behind many asthma-related deaths. "We have effective treatments and clear clinical guidelines, yet too many Australians are not getting the care they need to stay well," she said.

Miranda pointed to research showing the proportion of adults with well-controlled asthma has been falling, with many using little or no preventer treatment. She said adherence among people using inhaled corticosteroids was also getting worse. Too many people rely only on reliever medication for symptoms, which she said does not treat the underlying inflammation.

She said people with mild asthma often think "it's just asthma" and skip regular checkups and conversations with their GP about medication. Some take preventer medication on high pollen days or when they have a cold, but not at other times. Miranda also noted that guidelines now recommend anti-inflammatory reliever (Air) therapy, which reduces inflammation and treats symptoms. Older Australians in particular may still be using medications from childhood without knowing better options exist.

Elsewhere in the figures, drug-induced deaths rose to 2,063 in 2025 from 2,007 in 2024. The ABS's head of mortality statistics, Lauren Moran, said opioids and benzodiazepines remain the most common drug classes involved, but there has been substantial growth in deaths following the use of stimulants, including methamphetamine.

Suicide remained the leading cause of premature death for both males and females in 2025, with men accounting for almost three-quarters of these deaths. In Australia, support is available through Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and MensLine on 1300 789 978.