Amenable mortality is defined as premature deaths (deaths under age 75) that could potentially be avoided given effective and timely healthcare. That is, early deaths from causes (diseases or injuries) for which effective health interventions exist and are accessible to everyone in need (in New Zealand).
The list of amenable causes of death comprises 35 conditions, grouped into six categories:
This indicator shows the age-standardised rate of New Zealanders, under 75 years of age, who died prematurely from causes for which effective healthcare interventions exist in New Zealand.
It takes several years for some coronial cases to return verdicts. Given the significant impact these cases can have on some causes of death the Ministry of Health is unable to release provisional cause of death information till around two years after the end of the year.
The data is standardised to the World Health Organization World Standard All Ages Population. Age standardisation adjusts the rates of amenable mortality to account for changes in the age structure of a population over time. It allows comparison of the rates from one year to another, taking into account the ageing population.
