The overall number of registered deaths have increased by 19% in 30 years
An ambulance outside a hospital(Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)
The most common cause of death in Northern Ireland has been highlighted as the overall number of registered deaths here increase.
New figures from the Registrar General’s 103rd annual report revealed today, November 20, show that cancer contributed to the most common cause of death in 2024, accounting for 25.6% of all deaths.
In particular, the trachea, bronchus and lung (commonly referred to as lung cancer) was the most common site of cancer for both sexes.
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At a more detailed level, the leading cause of death for all persons in 2024 was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease accounting for 2,009 (11.1%) of all deaths.
When analysed by sex, dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases was the leading cause of death for females (1,306 or 14.8% of all female deaths). However, for males the leading cause of death was ischaemic heart disease (1,001 deaths, 10.8% of all male deaths).
Meanwhile, the overall number of deaths registered in 2024 (18,050) was a 4.6% increase to the level in 2023 (17,254) and over 19% more than 1994 (15,114).
NISRA said the general upward trend in the number of deaths being registered in Northern Ireland can be primarily accounted for by the growing and aging population – both of which are linked to increasing death numbers.
Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) account for changes in size and age structure of the population by adjusting for age and showing deaths as a rate per 100,000 population. There has been a general decrease in the last three decades with ASMRs falling from 1429.9 deaths per 100,000 population in 1994 to 1018.3 in 2024.
In 2024, the stillbirth rate decereased from 3.3 per 1,000 births in 2023 to 3.1 per 1,000. A total of 60 stillbirths were registered in Northern Ireland in 2024.
The General Register Office for Northern Ireland stores records of births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships, stillbirths and adoptions in Northern Ireland.
Its annual report provides statistics on a number of areas to help inform policy. For example, the number of deaths has implications for hospital and palliative care strategies.
Figures such as population estimates, projections, and life-expectancy statistics have policy implications for pensions and the delivery of front-line services for the population in areas such as housing, health care, education, and transport.
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