Indicator 25: Non-communicable diseases

Yes. For the most recent published data, see www.health.govt.nz/publication/mortality-and-demographic-data-2009.  Data is also available on request from the Ministry of Health.

How deaths are categorised

The causes of death can be organised into three groups. Death can occur from:

• external causes (see Madrid indicator 26);
• non-communicable diseases (this indicator); and
• communicable diseases (see Madrid indicator 31, which is about the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, not death rates).^[1]

Deaths from non-communicable causes can be prevented by universal or targeted interventions that governments can introduce. Good quality data is needed to help set priorities for public spending to prevent deaths from non-communicable causes, or to decide whether resources would be better used to decrease deaths from external causes. Data is also needed to know whether any interventions are effective.

The types of deaths discussed here 

Deaths from non-communicable diseases made up 21 of the top 25 causes of premature death reported by the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The category of non-communicable diseases includes deaths from conditions such as ischemic heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Alzheimer’s disease, congenital anomalies, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.^[2] Most chronic or long-term conditions are non-communicable diseases.^[3]

Figure 1 shows mortality rates of people aged 60+ for four non-communicable diseases – diabetes,^[4] COPD,^[5] malignant neoplasms (cancer),^[6] and diseases of the circulatory system.^[7] It shows that mortality rates decreased to varying degrees from 2000 to 2009.

Figure 2 shows the data for men and women. Overall, the rates for each disease decreased from 2000 to 2009 even though the rates fluctuated from year to year.

The Minister of Health’s expectations for district health boards for 2012/13^[8] included a focus on actions to better manage long-term conditions. The health targets for non-communicable diseases include older people.^[9]

A description of the Ministry’s work on:

• diabetes can be found at www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/diabetes?mega=Our%20work&title=Diabetes; and  

• cancer can be found at www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/cancer-programme?mega=Our%20work&title=Cancer.

Publications and resources on cardiovascular disease can be found at www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/cardiovascular-disease.

The Ministry of Health does not have a specific work programme for preventing, diagnosing, and treating COPD.^[10] However, smoking is the primary risk factor for COPD^[11] and the reduction of smoking rates is a health target.^[12] The Ministry provides information for people with COPD at www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease.