How is death defined?
Death is the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place (post-natal cessation of vital functions without capability of resuscitation). This definition therefore excludes foetal deaths.
What are death statistics used for?
Statistics on deaths (along with births, marriages and divorces) are often referred to as 'vital statistics', as they provide the basic demographic information about a population and its changes over time. This information can be used to monitor demographic and social trends, and to plan for future community services and needs.
Resources
Deaths data and analysis
From information releases published by Statistics New Zealand, available quarterly from September 1999.
Deaths data and trends
From annual reference reports published by Statistics New Zealand, available from 1999.
Deaths - tables
Includes deaths by age, sex and ethnicity, published quarterly by Statistics New Zealand, from September 1999.
Life tables
Includes probability of death, probability of survival, and life expectancy at various ages, published at irregular intervals by Statistics New Zealand. Latest available 2000-2002.
About the Baby Boom
When, why, issues and consequences of the baby boom in New Zealand. Created for Population and Sustainable Development website, 2004.
Mortality and Demographic Data - Cause of Death
Information on the cause of death, including some trend analysis, published by New Zealand Health Information Service, 2004.
Decades of Disparity: Ethnic Mortality Trends in New Zealand 1980-1999
Discusses ethnic mortality rates and life expectancies in the 1980s and 1990s. Published by Ministry of Health, 2003.
Decades if Disparity II: Socio-economic Mortality Trends in New Zealand 1981-1999
Estimates mortality trends by a number of socio-economic parameters through the 1980s and 1990s. Published by Ministry of Health, 2005.
Decades if Disparity III: Ethnic and Social Inequalities in Mortality, New Zealand 1981-1999
Discussions inequalities observed in mortality through the 1980s and 1990s. Published by Ministry of Health, 2006.
Infant and early childhood deaths
Discussion on the characteristics of people who die under the age of 5 years. Created for the Population Website 2005.
References
Barry J (2004). The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History, Viking Books, New York.
Blakely T (2002). New Zealand Census – Mortality Study: Socio-economic Inequalities and Adult Mortality 1991-1994, Ministry of Health, Wellington.
Pool I and Cheung J, (2002). "Why were New Zealand levels of life-expectation so high at the dawn of the twentieth century?", Population Studies Centre Discussion Paper No 43, September 2002.
Rice G (1988). Black November: the 1918 Influenza Epidemic in New Zealand, Allen and Unwin, Wellington.
Experts
For further information email the Demography Division of Statistics New Zealand or write to:
Robert Didham
Demography Division
Statistics New Zealand
Dollan House
401 Madras Street
Private Bag 4741
Christchurch