Suicide most common way for youths to die
SUICIDE is the most common cause of death for people aged 1-44 in Queensland.
Heart disease and cancer in the digestive system are the most common causes for those 45 and older.
Rural Health Alliance policy advisory Andrew Phillips said the most common form of digestive cancer was bowel.
He said not a lot of things killed younger Queenslanders and it was unfortunate intentional self harm was the biggest cause of death in that age group.
The alliance's chief executive Gordon Gregory said the frequency of people with mental health problems was similar in rural and city areas but its impact on those in regional areas was much greater.
But suicide was not the only health issue facing regional people.
Mr Phillips said asthma, kidney disease, lung cancer and breast cancer were also big killers.
He said more deaths in regional areas compared to cities came down to access to services or the circumstances people found themselves in.
