Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “MORTALITY”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,225 records · Page 68Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Infant mortality trends and differences between American Indian/Alaska Native infants and white infants in the United States, 1989-1991 and 1998-2000.

OBJECTIVES: To describe changes in infant mortality rates, including birthweight-specific rates and rates by age at death and cause. METHODS: We analyzed US linked birth/infant-death data for 1989-1991 and 1998-2000 for American Indians/Alaska Native (AIAN) and White singleton infants at > or =20 weeks' gestation born to US residents. We calculated birthweight-specific infant mortality rates (deaths in each birthweight category per 1000 live births in that category), and overall and cause-specific infant mortality rates (deaths per 100000 live births) in infancy (0-364 days) and in the neonatal (0-27 days) and postneonatal (28-364 days) periods. RESULTS: Birthweight-specific infant mortality rates declined among AIAN and White infants across all birthweight categories, but AIAN infants generally had higher birthweight-specific infant mortality rates. Infant mortality rates declined for both groups, yet in 1998-2000, AIAN infants were still 1.7 times more likely to die than White infants. Most of the disparity was because of elevated post-neonatal mortality, especially from sudden infant death syndrome, accidents, and pneumonia and influenza. CONCLUSIONS: Although birthweight-specific infant mortality rates and infant mortality rates declined among both AIAN and White infants, disparities in infant mortality persist. Preventable causes of infant mortality identified in this analysis should be targeted to reduce excess deaths among AIAN communities.

Accidents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula and early postoperative mortality.

BACKGROUND: Several recent reports showed that associated anomalies represent the main cause of postoperative mortality in infants born with esophageal atresia (EA) and/ or tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) Our observations present additional causes of mortality to the above mentioned. The aim of this study is to identify the major causes of early postoperative mortality in cases of EA and/or TEF in our setup. The ongoing preoperative classifications predicting mortality will be also used for comparison. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed 101 charts of all cases with EA and/or TEF in a period of 11 years from 1990 to 2000. Morbidity and causes of postoperative mortality during the first admissions were identified. The factors predicting mortality were documented. Patients were classified according to Waterston, Montreal and Spitz classifications. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients (30.7%) died. Two main groups of post operative mortality were identified. The first group included the possibly avoidable causes of mortality which were primary sepsis (n=10, 32.3%), technical problems (n=8, 25.8%) and severe pneumonia (n=5, 16.1%). The unavoidable causes of mortality included major congenital anomalies (n=6, 19.3%) and anomalies incompatible with life (n=2, 6.5%). CONCLUSION: Primary sepsis and sepsis due to technical problems were the main causes of mortality in our series. Factors predicting mortality were pneumonia at presentation, sepsis at presentation or that acquired during hospitalization, major or life threatening anomalies, long gaps and major leaks. The Waterston classification was statistically the best applicable in this study.

Digestive System Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed1994

Trends in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Australian population from 1964 to 1990. DESIGN: Review of national data on deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We calculated direct annual age-standardised mortality rates for women and men (based on the 1976 age distribution of the Australian population), cumulative mortality rates and future mortality trends. Age-standardised mortality rates based on the world standard population were calculated and compared with mortality rates from lung cancer. RESULTS: Male age-standardised mortality increased 1.6-fold from 1964 to 1970 and subsequently declined. In 1990 the male mortality rate was 5% less than in 1964. Female age-standardised mortality has shown a 2.6-fold increase from 1964 to 1990. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease seems likely to be a major health problem in Australia for many years to come. If present trends continue, female mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may equal male mortality by the middle of the next decade.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Changes in mortality in Switzerland since 1950. II. Regional differences within Switzerland].

OBJECTIVES: To examine regional variations in all-cause mortality in Switzerland around 1990 and trends since 1950. Special emphasis is placed on unfavourable aspects that have been identified by comparisons with international trends. DATA AND METHODS: Descriptive analysis of Swiss mortality statistics taken from individual records (1969-94) and data published by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (1949-68). RESULTS: Swiss citizens aged between 15 and 79 years often show mortality ratios of 1.5 and more between the best and the worst of the 106 regions of Switzerland. In subjects aged under 50 years, relative risk ranges are even larger. However, the regional mortality patterns before and after 50 rarely correspond. Generally, the relative risk difference between the best and the worst regions has not diminished since 1950, whereas the geographical patterns have completely changed. Instead of an obvious rural-urban gradient in 1950, mortality rates are now highest in the largest cities and, at least in men, are at their lowest in the wealthy suburbs. On a larger scale (division into 9 geographical units), central Switzerland has changed significantly from clearly elevated mortality rates in 1950 into a decidedly favourable position in 1990. A contrast between German and French Switzerland has existed for many decades: in the younger and middle age groups the francophone part of Switzerland has a higher mortality rate than the German-speaking part, whereas at ages over 70 French Switzerland has lower rates than German Switzerland. In some urban areas of Switzerland, the turning-point from a decreasing to an increasing trend in the mortality risks of subjects aged 15-49 years was reached around 1960, occasionally resulting in age-specific rates being higher in 1990 than in 1950. This unfavourable partial trend has spread over most, but not all, of Switzerland since 1970. Even in subjects aged 25-34 years, the age group for which Switzerland has the worst relative position on an international scale, some parts of the country do not have elevated all-cause mortality rates, whereas for men in the largest cities mortality risks are more than three times as high as in Japan. The deaths from "external" causes (mainly accidents and suicide) show marked geographical patterns within Switzerland; however, in all parts of the country, deaths from this group are much more frequent than, for example, in Italy or the Netherlands. CONCLUSION: Geographical differences in mortality risks within Switzerland, as well as international disparities, suggest that there is a need for preventive measures in Switzerland, first and foremost concerning males aged 15-49 years and deaths from "external" causes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Racial disparities in African American and white infant mortality United States and Wisconsin, 1980 to 1998.

Infant mortality is a powerful indicator for assessing the health of a population, and the extent to which society invests in its children. This paper examines infant mortality trends in the United States and Wisconsin among the African American and white populations from 1980 to 1998. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics and Wisconsin Birth and Infant Death Reports were used to examine overall infant mortality trends from 1980 to 1998 for African American and white infants. The overall infant mortality rate in Wisconsin decreased steadily from 10.3 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 1980 to 7.2 in 1998. White infant mortality followed this trend, declining from 9.6 in 1980 to 5.6 in 1998. African American infant mortality has remained about the same since 1980 at 18 infant deaths per 1000 live births, even though the overall percentage of African American live births in Wisconsin increased from 6% in 1980 to 10% in 1998. The ratio of African American to white infant mortality rates in Wisconsin increased from 2 to 1 in 1980 to 3.2 to 1 in 1998. While the Wisconsin African American infant mortality rate remained even since 1980, the US rate declined from 22.2 in 1980 to 14.1 in 1998. The Wisconsin African American rate in 1998, 17.9, surpassed the national rate. The use of 5-year running averages to smooth out year-to-year fluctuations showed statistically significant declines in Wisconsin white infant mortality rates and no change in Wisconsin African American infant mortality rates. These trends show the importance for Wisconsin to sustain its current efforts to reduce black infant mortality. At the same time, Wisconsin-based research efforts to determine strategies and factors that work should continue and influence the future design of systems, programs, and policies to eliminate the disparity.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2000

Decreasing mortality from pulmonary embolism in the United States, 1979-1996.

BACKGROUND: Mortality trends and patterns for pulmonary embolism may yield clues to its aetiology. Previous investigations had identified several mortality contrasts in pulmonary embolism mortality among US residents. These findings had been made in the context of a trend of increasing rates during 1962-1984. METHODS: Annual age-specific and age-adjusted pulmonary embolism mortality rates for US residents during 1979-1996 were compiled from the US National Center for Health Statistics web site. These data were analysed for mortality contrasts and trends. RESULTS: For all racial-gender groups, age-adjusted mortality declined throughout the period. The greatest rate of decline was found among black men, followed by (in decreasing order) black women, white men, other men, white women, and other women. In 1996, the previously observed demographic contrasts of blacks experiencing the highest pulmonary embolism mortality, followed by whites and then others, and the male rate being higher than the female one were still present despite this decline. Age-specific mortality from pulmonary embolism in the US during 1996 also mirrored that reported for the 1970s, with mortality increasing during the life span (the risk of death doubling with each decade of life). Specifically, the annual age-adjusted pulmonary embolism mortality rate in 1996 for white men was 2.4 per 100 000 persons; white women, 2.3 per 100 000 persons; black men, 6.0 per 100 000 persons; black women, 4.8 per 100 000 persons; non-black non-white men, 1.0 per 100 000 persons; and non-black non-white women, 0.7 per 100 000 persons. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality from pulmonary embolism in the US declined significantly during 1979-1996. Several demographic contrasts, particularly an excess among men, continue to exist.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[Surveillance of short-term effects of urban air pollution on mortality. Results of a feasibility study in 9 French cities].

BACKGROUND: This study aims at quantifying air pollution effects on mortality and at evaluating the feasibility of a standardized epidemiological surveillance system of air pollution in 9 French cities. METHODS: Data collection and analysis followed a standardized protocol. Data pollution depended on the development of local air quality surveillance networks (number of indicators, number of stations.). The Generalised Additive Models (GAM) were used to quantify the association between air pollution and mortality. RESULTS: In the 9 studied areas, associations between all causes, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, and air pollution indicators were observed. These associations were linear without threshold. Depending on the pollutants, excess in mortality related to an interquartile increase in acid-particulate pollution varied between 0.3 and 3.5% for total mortality, 0.5 and 6.3% for cardiovascular mortality, and between 0.1 and 12% for respiratory mortality. Photochemical air pollution varied between 0.4 and 7.3% for total mortality, 1.4 and 6.7% for cardiovascular mortality, and between 1.7 and 30.4% for respiratory mortality. CONCLUSION: In spite of a standardized common protocol, some disparities, inherent to the local characteristics, were noted (length of time series, numbers of ambient urban stations selected and pollutants available.). Nevertheless, this pilot study showed that multicentric epidemiological monitoring of air pollution effects on health was feasible. Yet, this requires to validate the results obtained through a re-analysis of the mortality data on a longer period of study. It also requires to study the feasibility and the relevance of the use of other health indicators, such as hospital admissions.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed2000

Association of particulate matter components with daily mortality and morbidity in urban populations.

Indices of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) have been reported to be associated with daily mortality and morbidity in a large number of recent time-series studies. However, the question remains as to which components of PM are responsible for the reported associations. Multiple PM components rarely are measured simultaneously. To investigate PM effects on mortality and morbidity, we used the multiple PM components measured in Windsor, Ontario, at a site only a few miles from downtown Detroit, Michigan. This study focused primarily on two study periods in which multiple PM components were measured in Windsor: 1985 to 1990, when levels of total suspended particles (TSP), sulfate from TSP (TSP-SO4(2-)), PM less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10), and nonthoracic TSP (TSP-PM10) were measured throughout the year; and 1992 to 1994, when data on PM10, PM2.5 (PM less than 2.5 microns in diameter), PM10-2.5 (PM10 minus PM2.5), particle acidity (H+), and artifact-free sulfates (SO4(2-)) were available for mostly summer months. Mortality data were analyzed for the 1985 to 1990 study period, and data on both mortality and hospital admissions of elderly patients were analyzed for the 1992 through 1994 period. Poisson regressions were used to estimate the effects of these PM components and gaseous criteria pollutants on mortality (nonaccidental, circulatory, respiratory, and nonaccidental without circulatory and respiratory) and on hospital admissions of elderly patients (for pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], ischemic heart disease, dysrhythmias, heart failure, and stroke), adjusting for temperature and humidity, trends and seasonal cycles, and day of the week. Both PM10 and TSP were associated significantly with respiratory mortality for the 1985 to 1990 period, with similar relative risk (RR) estimates for PM10 (RR = 1.123; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0361-1.218) and TSP (RR = 1.109; 95% CI 1.028-1.197), per 5th to 95th percentile increment. The effect-size estimates for TSP-SO4(2-) and TSP-PM10 were smaller and less significant. In two-pollutant models, simultaneous inclusion of gaseous pollutants with PM10 or TSP reduced PM coefficients by 0 to 34%. The effect-size estimates for total mortality, circulatory mortality, and total minus circulatory and respiratory mortality were less than those for respiratory mortality. Ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) also were associated significantly with total and circulatory mortality, but a simultaneous consideration of these pollutants with PM10 reduced PM10 coefficients only slightly, or even increased them. In these results, pollution coefficients often were positive at multiple lag days (0-day through 3-day lags were examined), but for PM indices, 1-day lag coefficients were most significant. However, when all combinations of multiple-day average exposures were examined, for cases in which multiple lag days were positive, the choice of single-day or multiple-day average exposure did not appreciably change the estimated effect sizes. An examination of temporal correlation showed that the order of spatial uniformity as expressed by the median site-to-site correlation was O3 (0.83), PM10 (0.78), TSP (0.71), NO2 (0.70), carbon monoxide (CO) (0.50), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) (0.49), which suggests less exposure error for O3 and PM10 than for the other measured pollutants. Thus, these results suggest that spatially homogeneous pollution indices show higher associations with measured health outcomes.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

[Analysis of maternal mortality in the Czech Republic in 1999].

OBJECTIVE: Analysis of maternal mortality in the Czech Republic in 1999. DESIGN: Retrospective statistical and clinical analysis. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the 1st Medical School of Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague 2; 2. Institute for Care of Mother and Child, Prague-Podoli. METHODS: We used database of 10 cases of maternal deaths in the Czech Republic during 1999 to analyze their causes, clinical courses especially related to obstetrical surgery, adequacy of provided care, and characteristics of their occurrence. RESULTS: There were total 10 reported maternal deaths in pregnancy, during labor or within 42 days after delivery in the Czech Republic in 1999. During the same period there were 89,471 live births in the Czech Republic, and Pregnancy-related mortality ratio (A + B + C) was 0.11@1000, i.e. 11.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. This is about 0.044@1000 worse than in 1998 (the last table demonstrates the development of maternal mortality during last 9 years). One reported death was unrelated to gestation (category C), therefore adjusted maternal mortality rate (A + B) was 0.10@1000, i.e. 10.1 deaths per 100,000 live births versus 6.63 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1998. Group A (specific risk--direct maternal mortality) contributed to adjusted maternal mortality by 6 maternal deaths and direct maternal mortality was 6.7 per 100,000 live births. Group B (non-specific risk--undirect maternal mortality) contributed by 3 maternal deaths and undirect maternal mortality was 3.3 per 100,000 live births. CONCLUSION: The increase of maternal mortality in 1999 and forensic impact of some cases indicate the necessity to respect established guideline for obstetrics and gynecology. Currently established complex prophylactic measures to prevent development of thrombembolic complications provede, if fully implemented, possibility to minimize these threatening and formerly very frequent situations leading to death. However, there is ongoing danger of hemorrhagic complications related to the DIC, which despite the modern therapy represent the major factor in maternal mortality and morbidity.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Postoperative morbidity and mortality after gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Surgical technique and postoperative care for gastric cancer have significantly improved in recent years. However, whether postoperative morbidity or mortality rates after gastrectomy for gastric cancer were reduced or not in recent years was unclear. In this study, we analyzed the chronological changes of postoperative morbidity and mortality rates, and we analyzed risk factors for postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing gastrectomy for carcinomas of the stomach. METHODOLOGY: A total of 887 patients with gastric cancer were gastrectomized in our hospital between January 1985 and December 1996. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of chronology. The first group included patients treated over the period 1985 to 1988 (n = 324); the second group, 1989 to 1992 (n = 300); and the third group, 1993 to 1996 (n = 263). Postoperative morbidity rates and mortality rates were compared among the three groups. Also, significant risk factors affecting postoperative morbidity and in-hospital mortality were analyzed by the multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Postoperative complications were detected in 95 patients (10.7%) and in-hospital mortality rate was 2.4% (21/887). Postoperative morbidity rates were 10.5%, 11%, and 10.6% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively and postoperative mortality rates were 2.5%, 2%, and 2.7%, respectively. These postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were not different between the groups (P = 0.979 and P = 0.866). The most common postoperative complication was anastomotic leakage (56/95, 58.9%). Significant risk factors affecting in-hospital mortality were Stage IV (P = 0.006) and noncurative gastric resection (P = 0.004). However, the extent of lymph node dissection, combined resection, or the existence of preoperative complications were not significant risk factors of in-hospital mortality by multiple logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that patients with far-advanced gastric cancer might have a high risk of postoperative mortality. In noncurative operations for patients with advanced gastric cancer, unnecessary lymph node dissection or combined resection should be avoided.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Cancer incidence and mortality in France over the period 1978-2000.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring cancer incidence and mortality time trends is essential for cancer research and health-care planning. French cancer registries do not cover the entire population and do not provide a representative sample of the national population. Our study aimed at estimating national cancer incidence and mortality trends over the longest period available. METHODS: Incidence and mortality data were collected over the period 1978-1997. Twenty-seven cancer sites were selected and age, sex and site specific incidence and mortality rates were estimated for each year from 1978 up to 2000. Observed incidence and mortality data in the population covered by cancer registries were modelled using age-cohort methods. An estimation of the incidence/mortality ratio was obtained from these models and applied to the mortality rates predicted from an age-cohort model for the entire French population. The person-years of observation were calculated cohort-wise from census data provided by the national institute of statistics RESULTS: Cancer incidence increased by 63% throughout the study period, from 170,000 new cases in 1980 to 278,000 in 2000. This evolution was due to demographic changes but also to an increase in the risk of cancer which was estimated to more than 35% during the same period. In men, this change is largely explain by the increase of prostate cancer incidence. Among women, the increase was dominated by the continuing increase in breast cancer incidence. Large increases were also seen for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma, and thyroid cancer in both genders and for lung cancer in women. Cancer mortality increased by 20% from 125,000 deaths in 1980 to 150,000 in 2000. This increase is less than that predicted from changes in demographic factors and corresponds in fact to a decrease in the risk of death estimated to about 8%, slightly greater for women than for men. This decrease is associated with a decreasing incidence for stomach cancers for both sexes, alcohol-related cancer for men and cervical cancer for women. Colo-rectal cancer decreasing mortality contributes to this improvement despite an incidence increase. CONCLUSION: Between 1980 and 2000, the study showed a large change in the cancer burden both quantitatively and qualitatively. Decrease in exposure, earlier diagnosis and therapeutic improvement explained part of this change, but overall the distribution of cancer cases shifted toward a distribution including less aggressive cancers. A striking divergence between incidence and mortality trends is observed for a great number of cancers. Prostate cancer shares with breast cancer the same pattern of a severe increasing incidence and a stable mortality. This points to important changes in medical practice and needs further analysis. The trend of lung cancer mortality among women should be emphasised since the situation will inevitably worsen in the coming years. It is already the third cause of cancer death among women.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2003

[Trends in mortality of Lithuanian population throughout the first decade of Independence].

The aim of the study was to assess trends in overall mortality and the impact of the major causes of death to the overall mortality changes during the different periods of 1990-2000. Data about the population and the deceased was obtained from Lithuanian Department of Statistics. Mortality rates were age-standardized. Coefficient of logarithmic regression was used for the assessment of the trends in mortality. The impact of the major causes of death to the changes in overall mortality was estimated applying the methodology of I.M. Joung (1996). Trends in mortality of Lithuanian population were not uniform throughout the period of 1990-2000. The average increase in mortality during the period of 1991-1994 reached 4.1% per year, while in 1995-2000 similar decreasing trend was observed. Statistically significant increase was noted only in the age group of 20-64, while the decline was characteristic for all other age groups. Mortality of young population was decreasing more significantly. Negative changes in mortality during the period of 1990-1994 were mainly determined by external causes of death (45.1% in males and 28.3% in females), and positive changes that occurred in 1995-2000 were determined by mortality from cardiovascular diseases (nearly 50%). The impact of cancer and respiratory diseases was significant neither for negative, nor positive changes in overall mortality.

Accidents↗
PubMed2003

Updated risk adjustment mortality model using the complete 1.1 dataset from the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry (ACC-NCDR).

OBJECTIVES: To revise and update a risk adjustment model for in-hospital mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures using all data from the 1.1 version of the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry (ACC-NCR). BACKGROUND: A model based on data received at the ACC-NCDR from 1998-2000 was previously reported. The revision of this mortality model reflects all of the data submitted using 1.1 data specifications and collected through the second quarter of 2001. The model was applied to selected high-risk subgroups from a sample of data collected during the year 2001 from version 2.0 of the NCDR. METHODS: Data on 173,743 PCI procedures collected at the ACC-NCDR between January 1, 1998 and March 31, 2001 were analyzed. A mortality model was generated as well as separate models for presentation with and without acute myocardial infarction within 24 hours. The model was used to generate predicted mortalities that were compared to observed mortalities in more current high-risk patient subgroups in the NCDR. RESULTS: The same factors that were previously found to be associated with increased risk of PCI mortality were re-verified in the current analysis. Inclusion of the complete 1.1 dataset produced some changes in the regression weights and the constant value. Excellent discrimination was achieved in the revised model (C-Index = 0.89). The model was applied to high-risk patient groups from data collected on 76,249 during the calendar year 2001 using the 2.0 NCDR data elements and definitions. These analyses showed a high level of agreement between observed mortality of each subgroup and the predicted mortality rates generated from the revised 1.1 PCI mortality model. CONCLUSIONS: Risk adjustment models for in-hospital mortality following PCI for all patients and for those with and without recent MI were regenerated using all data collected from the 1.1 data specifications of the ACC-NCDR and validated on high-risk groups from data collected during 2001 under data version 2.0 of the NCDR. These models reflect the most up-to-date analysis of mortality prediction from this large, multi-center national database.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Tuberculosis mortality trends in Taiwan: a resurgence of non-respiratory tuberculosis.

SETTING: Population-based study in Taiwan. OBJECTIVE: To determine the tuberculosis (TB) mortality trends in Taiwan by site and age. DESIGN: Mortality data for the years 1972 to 2001 were used to calculate the age/site-specific mortality rate (deaths per 100000 population). The year of change in the slope of mortality trends was estimated by iterative piecewise regression analysis. RESULTS: A levelling off in mortality trends was noted in the late 1980s for all age groups except those aged 75 and above. Except in the age group 25-44 years, the trends in respiratory TB mortality showed a smooth decline. However, for non-respiratory TB mortality, a reversal of the decline was noted for all age groups since 1994-1995. A twofold increase in the number of deaths from central nervous system (CNS) and 'other' TB was noted. A marked increase in the number of deaths from old TB was noted since 1992-1996. CONCLUSION: TB mortality trends in Taiwan have not declined as expected over the past decade. The slowing down of the decline in TB mortality was mainly attributable to a levelling off of respiratory TB mortality in the age group 25-44 and a reversal of non-respiratory TB mortality trends, especially in the 25-44 and > or =65 years age groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The impact of the summer 2003 heat waves on mortality in four Italian cities.

This study evaluates the impact of the 2003 heat wave on cause-specific mortality and the role of demographic characteristics and socioeconomic conditions that may have increased the risk of mortality in four Italian cities: Bologna, Milan, Rome and Turin. Daily mortality counts, for the resident population by age, sex and cause of death were considered. Daily excess mortality was calculated as the difference between the number of deaths observed and the smoothed average. The impact of heat on health is measured in terms of maximum apparent temperature. The greatest excess in mortality was observed in the north west of Italy (Turin, +23% and Milan, +23%). The old (75-84 years) and the very old (85+ years) were the age groups most affected, and when stratifying by sex, the increase in mortality seemed to be greater among females. The greatest excess in mortality was registered in those with low socioeconomic status in Rome (+17.8%) and in those with lower education levels in Turin (+43%). The analysis of cause-specific mortality not only confirms results from previous studies of an increase in heat-related mortality by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, but also shows a significant excess in mortality for diseases of the central nervous system and for metabolic/endocrine disorders. Results from 2003 highlight the necessity of targeting future prevention programmes at the susceptible sub-groups identified. The introduction of warning systems alongside efficient preventive plans and the monitoring of mortality during heat waves may represent a valid tool for the reduction of heat-related deaths.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Trends of mortality rates from gastric cancer and colorectal cancer in Romania, 1955-2003.

BACKGROUND: Steady and persisting falls in gastric cancer (GC) mortality rates have been observed worldwide in the last 50 years, and in Romania too. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is presently the most frequent digestive neoplasia in the Western countries. An increase of CRC incidence and mortality rates has been reported recently in Eastern European countries, including Romania. METHODS: Mortality data from GC and CRC, derived from population based mortality statistics, have been available on a national scale for 1955-2003. The data were identified from the statistics of the Ministry of Health (Bucharest, Romania) and of IARC/OMS (Lyon, France). GC and CRC mortality rates global and/or per gender were registered by time intervals. After 1995, only data on general mortality rates were available. RESULTS: Between 1955-59 and 1990-92, GC mortality rates/100,000 decreased from 33.14 to 17.70 in males and from 18.77 to 7.00 in females. Between 1995 and 2003, general mortality rates/100,000 from GC remained stable (17.54 and 17.74, respectively). Between 1955-59 and 1990-92, CRC mortality rates/100,000/gender increased from 4.65 to 10.10 in males and from 4.57 to 7.40 in females. Between 1995 and 2003, CRC general mortality rates/100 000 increased from 14.90 to 19.20. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports opposite trends in GC and CRC mortality rates in the period under study, with GC declining and CRC increasing. A male predominance was registered in both neoplasms under study, more obvious in GC (male/female ratio: 2-3/1) than in CRC (male/female ratio: 1.5/1).

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed1991

Disease pattern in Greenland: studies on morbidity in Upernavik 1979-1980 and mortality in Greenland 1968-1985.

The disease pattern is described for the population of Upernavik, which is the administrative centre of a very large, sparsely populated municipality in North Western Greenland. The number of medical contacts per person was by and large similar in Upernavik and Denmark despite different health care systems, but the distribution of diagnoses was different. Persons with poor socioeconomic status (housing conditions and social group) were admitted to hospital more often than those with high status. Mortality in Greenland was studied using a computerized register of causes of death covering all deaths in residents of Greenland during 1968-1985. Age standardized mortality rate was twice as high in Inuit of Greenland as in the population of Denmark but five times higher in children. Mortality due to infectious diseases, ischaemic heart disease and certain accidents decreased during the period studied while mortality due to lung cancer, suicide and homicide increased. Regional differences in mortality were pronounced with high infant mortality and high mortality from acute infections and accidents in the socioeconomically poor settlements and remote districts. The suicide and homicide rates were highest in the capital and in the remote East Greenland. Compared with Denmark, mortality rates were higher in Greenland from most causes with ischaemic heart disease as an exception, being significantly less common in Greenland in both males and females. A comprehensive literature review describes the disease pattern in Greenland with special emphasis on the period after 1970. It is concluded that epidemiology can contribute to future health planning in Greenland and that research and development must be given high priority. Some major health problems facing the Greenlandic community are the high mortality from suicides and homicides, the prevalence of violence often triggered by alcohol, the many accidents, the high infant and child mortality and the high mortality from preventable cancers (lung and cervix).

Cause of Death↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Overview of the National Infant Mortality Surveillance (NIMS) project--design, methods, results.

The recent slowdown in the decline of infant mortality in the United States and the continued high risk of death among black infants (twice that of white infants) prompted a consortium of Public Health Service agencies to collaborate with all States in the development of a national data base from linked birth and infant death certificates. This National Infant Mortality Surveillance (NIMS) project for the 1980 U.S. birth cohort provides neonatal, postneonatal, and infant mortality risks for blacks, whites, and all races in 12 categories of birth weights. (Note: Neonatal mortality risk = number of deaths to infants less than 28 days of life per 1,000 live births; postneonatal mortality risk = number of deaths to infants 28 days to less than 1 year of life per 1,000 neonatal survivors; and infant mortality risk = number of deaths to infants less than 1 year of life per 1,000 live births.) Separate tabulations were requested for infants born in single and multiple deliveries. For single-delivery births, tabulations included birth weight, age at death, race of infant, and each of these characteristics: infant's live-birth order, sex, gestation, type of delivery, and cause of death; and mother's age, education, prenatal care history, and number of prior fetal losses at 20 weeks' or more gestation. An estimated 95 percent of eligible deaths were included in the NIMS tabulations. The analyses focus on three components of infant mortality: birth weight distribution of live births, neonatal mortality, and postneonatal mortality. The most important predictor for infant survival was birth weight, with an exponential improvement in survival by increasing birth weight to its optimum level. The nearly twofold higher risk of infant mortality among blacks was related to a higher prevalence of low birth weights and to higher mortality risks in the neonatal period for infants weighing 3,000 grams or more, and in the postneonatal period for all infants, regardless of birth weight. Regardless of other infant or maternal risk factors, the black-white gap persisted for infants weighing 2,500 grams or more.

Birth Certificates↗