Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death

 

In September 2025, Australia faced a somber milestone: Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reported that dementia accounted for almost 17,400 deaths in 2023—nearly one in ten of all deaths.
ABC
+2
AIHW
+2
This statistic has prompted health experts, carers, and people living with dementia to urge swift changes in policy, funding, and awareness. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death and warn that without intervention the burden will worsen.


The latest AIHW findings underline that while dementia was the leading cause of death overall, it strikingly affects women more than men. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death especially among older women, and point out that dementia is now the leading cause of death for women and the second for men after coronary heart disease.
News.com.au
+2
ABC
+2
The gender disparity only increases the urgency for inclusive strategies to support those most at risk. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death insists that brain health be central in women’s health programmes.


One of the starkest projections is that without substantial changes, the number of Australians living with dementia could exceed 1.1 million by 2065. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death believe that early prevention measures—during mid-life and earlier—are essential to slow this trajectory.
ABC
+2
dementia.org.au
+2
The report emphasises that many risk factors are modifiable. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death and they’re calling on governments to act now rather than wait.


What are these modifiable risk factors? Obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure in mid-life, smoking, impaired kidney function, and other lifestyle and health issues significantly increase dementia risk. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death underscore that public health policy must target these factors through education, preventive medicine, community programmes and accessible healthcare.
dementia.org.au
+1
Blood sugar control, hearing and vision care, mental health and social connection also play roles. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death insists that comprehensive risk reduction strategies be rolled out widely.


Beyond the numbers, there are personal stories that put flesh on the data. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death is not just a headline—it is lived by individuals, families, carers. Many report that diagnosis comes too late, that loved ones withdraw socially, as if dementia carries stigma as well as physical decline.
ABC
+1
The emotional toll, the guilt, the isolation—these need acknowledgement if policy is to meet human needs. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death demands humane care, not just clinical treatment.


Financial cost is another dimension. In 2020-21, Australia spent nearly AUD 3.7 billion on dementia diagnosis, treatment and care, with residential aged care services accounting for almost half of that. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death and note this cost will rise steeply unless action is taken.
ABC
+1
Investment now in prevention and community-based support may reduce pressure on aged care and hospitals in years hence. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death push for funding reallocation and smarter resource planning.


Awareness and education remain weak in many quarters. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death say that too many Australians still view dementia as an inevitable part of ageing rather than a preventable or mitigable condition.
The Guardian
+2
dementia.org.au
+2
This misunderstanding can delay diagnosis, increase fear, reduce help-seeking behaviour. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death demand national campaigns, school curricula, public messaging that destigmatise dementia and promote brain health from a young age.


Policy makers are starting to respond. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death have urged the federal government to commit to funding “a national conversation” on dementia, including awareness raising and prevention, as well as strengthening care for those already living with dementia.
dementia.org.au
+2
ABC
+2
Legislation, health-care workforce training, research into new treatments, and better support for carers are all part of their call. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death maintain that the cost of inaction far outweighs the investment required now.


For communities and individuals, there are actions possible today. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death encourage people to engage in regular physical and mental activity, maintain social connection, monitor health markers like blood pressure and blood sugar, not smoke, and seek help for hearing or vision loss.
ABC
+1
These measures may not guarantee prevention, but they build resilience. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death emphasises empowerment and collective responsibility.


In conclusion, Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death is more than a headline—it’s an urgent wake-up call. The data is clear, the risk factors are known, and the human cost is profound. With dementia now number one cause of death in Australia, the time for gradual steps is over. Advocates call for action on brain health as AIHW reveals dementia is leading cause of death demands that government, health systems, communities and individuals act together with courage, compassion and commitment. The task is daunting, but the cost of doing nothing is greater.