DEMENTIA and Alzheimer’s disease are the leading cause of death in Jersey, accounting for one-in-ten deaths, newly released figures have revealed.
The latest figures, for deaths in 2022, were published yesterday as part of Public Health’s Mental Health Profile.
The report aims to paint a picture of the mental health and wellbeing of Islanders.
It shows that 90 deaths in 2022, or 10% of all deaths, had dementia or Alzheimer’s disease as the underlying cause, which was also the case in England and Wales.
As of the end of 2024, 895 Islanders were on the dementia register held by GPs – just under 1% of Jersey’s population.
The average age of someone on the register was 82. Nearly two-thirds (63%) were women – probably due to women making up a greater share of the older population.
Prescriptions for dementia-related medications have also risen significantly. In 2024, 480 people were prescribed dementia medication – a 37% increase compared to 2016, and an 18% rise since 2021. Around 0.5% of Jersey’s population received such prescriptions, similar to England.
Although dementia remains the leading cause of death, the age-standardised mortality rate in Jersey is lower than in England. The rate in Jersey stood at 86.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 111.7 in England.
