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Trends in site-specific mortality from oral and pharyngeal cancer among Japanese males, 1950-94.

In order to obtain some etiological clues for oral and pharyngeal cancer in Japanese males, we examined mortality trends from cancer of the lip, buccal cavity and pharynx by site with other descriptive epidemiological features (1950-94). The data were obtained from Vital Statistics (Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan). The 45-year trend in mortality was evaluated by computing crude and age-adjusted mortality rates, age-specific mortality rates, with birth cohort analysis. The crude mortality rate from cancer of the lip, buccal cavity and pharynx has increased by 3.7-fold, and age adjusted mortality rate by 1.7-fold in the 45-year period, with different mortality trends by site. In general, age-specific mortality has also been increasing with advancing age. The birth cohort analysis showed that the higher the mortality rate, the younger the birth cohort, but with different effects of birth cohort by site. Mortality from cancer of the lip, buccal cavity and pharynx has consistently been increasing in Japanese males from 1950 to 1994, with similar upward mortality trends for some specific sites.

Adult↗

Long-term mortality from heart disease and lung cancer after radiotherapy for early breast cancer: prospective cohort study of about 300,000 women in US SEER cancer registries.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy for early breast cancer can decrease breast cancer mortality but increase other mortality, mainly from heart disease and lung cancer. The mean cardiac dose from irradiation of a left-sided breast cancer can be two or three times that for a right-sided breast cancer. The mean ipsilateral (ie, on the same side as the breast cancer) lung dose can also be two or three times the mean contralateral lung dose. Particularly during the 1970s, when typical heart and lung exposures were greater than now, the laterality of an irradiated breast cancer could measurably affect cardiac mortality and mortality from cancer of the right or the left lung decades later. This study aimed to assess the hazards in the general US population from routine cancer-registry and death-certificate data. METHODS: We analysed data for 308 861 US women with early breast cancer of known laterality (left-sided or right-sided) who were registered in the US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registries during 1973-2001 and followed prospectively for cause-specific mortality until Jan 1, 2002. FINDINGS: 115 165 (37%) received radiotherapy. Among those who did not, tumour laterality was of little relevance to subsequent mortality. For women diagnosed during 1973-82 and irradiated, the cardiac mortality ratio (left versus right tumour laterality) was 1.20 (95% CI 1.04-1.38) less than 10 years afterwards, 1.42 (1.11-1.82) 10-14 years afterwards, and 1.58 (1.29-1.95) after 15 years or more (trend: 2p=0.03). For women diagnosed during 1983-92 and irradiated, the cardiac mortality ratio was 1.04 (0.91-1.18) less than 10 years afterwards and 1.27 (0.99-1.63) 10 or more years afterwards. For women diagnosed during 1993-2001 and irradiated the cardiac mortality ratio was 0.96 (0.82-1.12), with none yet followed for 10 years. Among women irradiated for breast cancer who subsequently developed an ipsilateral or contralateral lung cancer, the lung cancer mortality ratio (ipsilateral versus contralateral) for women diagnosed during 1973-82 and irradiated was 1.17 (0.62-2.19), 2.00 (1.00-4.00), and 2.71 (1.65-4.48), respectively, less than 10 years, 10-14 years, and 15 or more years afterwards (trend: 2p=0.04). For women irradiated after 1982 there is, as yet, little information on lung cancer risks more than 10 years afterwards. INTERPRETATION: US breast cancer radiotherapy regimens of the 1970s and early 1980s appreciably increased mortality from heart disease and lung cancer 10-20 years afterwards with, as yet, little direct evidence on the hazards after more than 20 years. Since the early 1980s, improvements in radiotherapy planning should have reduced such risks, but the long-term hazards in the general populations of various countries still need to be monitored directly.

Adult↗

Mortality trends of malignant tumours of digestive organs in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 1975-1997.

AIM: To analyse mortality trends of malignant digestive tract tumours. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Population of Belgrade (Yugoslavia) in the period 1975-1997. Mortality rates were standardized by direct method using world population as the standard. For time series, exponential trends were calculated by the use of three-year moving average rates. RESULTS: In males, the highest mortality rate was for stomach cancer: 14. 6 per 100,000 (average for the period 1975-1997), followed by cancer of liver and cancer of colon: 8.4/100,000, cancer of rectum: 8.1/100,000, cancer of pancreas: 7.3/100,000, oesophageal cancer: 2.8/100,000 and gallbladder cancer: 2.0/100,000. In males, upward mortality trends for carcinomas of colon, rectum, pancreas, oesophagus, gallbladder and bile ducts were observed. The mortality rates series for stomach cancer and liver cancer did not fit any usual trend function. In females, the highest mortality rate was also for stomach cancer 7.7 per 100,000, then for cancer of colon: 6.0/100,000, cancer of rectum: 5.3/100,000, cancer of liver: 4.4/100,000, cancer of pancreas: 4.4/100,000, gallbladder cancer 3.4/100,000 and oesophageal cancer: 0.8/100,000. In females, upward mortality trends were observed for colon and rectal cancer, cancer of pancreas, and gallbladder and bile duct cancer. Downward mortality trends were present for stomach cancer and liver cancer. Mortality rates series for oesophageal cancer did not fit any usual trend function. CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of digestive tracts cancers, an upward mortality trend was observed which is in keeping with the mortality trends of these malignant tumours in many other countries.

Colonic Neoplasms↗

Risk of mortality and complications in people with depressive disorder and co-occurring diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: People with depressive disorder have increased premature mortality and higher rates of diabetes mellitus than general population. Evidence shows that diabetes may further increase their risk of premature death from diabetes-related complications, especially cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Earlier studies examining depression-associated outcomes in diabetes patients have shown mixed results and were hindered by important limitations, especially the use of self-reported questionnaires to ascertain depression, causing misclassification bias by identifying subclinical symptoms or diabetes distress. Associations of depression with specific diabetes complications have not been systematically evaluated. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the risk of mortality and complications among patients with depression and co-occurring diabetes (depression-diabetes group) relative to patients with diabetes-only (diabetes-only group), on their all-cause mortality rates, and if applicable cause-specific mortality rates, and occurrence of specific diabetes complications. METHODS: We systematically reviewed and quantitatively synthesized diabetes-related outcomes in patients with depression by searching Embase, MEDLINE, PsycInfo and Web-of-Science from inception to 20 December 2024, and included studies that examined mortality and complication outcomes in depression-diabetes group relative to diabetes-only group. Results were synthesized by random-effects meta-analytic models, with stratified-analyses (subgroup analyses and meta-regression) by study-level characteristics, including age, gender, study period, geographic region, follow-up duration and nature of diabetes sample. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024595145). RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were identified from nine geographic regions. Regarding mortality risk, depression-diabetes group exhibited increased risks of all-cause mortality (RR = 1.30 [95% CI: 1.21-1.39]) and CVD-specific mortality (1.15 [1.02-1.29]) relative to diabetes-only group. Regarding complication risk, depression-diabetes group showed increased risk of complications (1.28 [1.18-1.40]) relative to diabetes-only group, especially in incident-diabetes sample signifying advanced disease stage upon presentation, with stratified-analyses showing higher risk of metabolic complications (1.63 [1.33-1.99]) and cardiovascular complications (1.20 [1.11-1.29]), and lower likelihood of retinopathy (0.84 [0.76-0.94]), albeit comparable rates of cerebrovascular complications (1.36 [0.99-1.87]), nephropathy (1.09 [0.93-1.27]) and peripheral-vascular complications (0.97 [0.79-1.18]). Both overall mortality and complication risks were present in various regions and persisted over time. Heterogeneities were noted and could not be entirely explained by stratified analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that patients with depression and co-occurring diabetes were associated with elevated overall mortality risk and complication risk (particularly metabolic and cardiovascular-complications) than non-depressed counterparts, suggesting an overall poorer glycemic control that might eventually drive their earlier death. Comprehensive and multipronged interventions are needed for individualized risk estimation of diabetes-related outcomes, with consequent early interventions to minimize the avoidable physical morbidity and premature mortality in this vulnerable population.

Humans↗

Role of socioeconomic indicators in the prediction of all causes and coronary heart disease mortality in over 12,000 men--The Italian RIFLE pooling project.

The relationship of socioeconomic indicators (education, occupation and residence) to short-term all cause mortality and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality was evaluated in an Italian population sample. Socioeconomic indicators (education, occupational level and residence) and major CHD risk factors were measured in 12,361 males aged 40-69 years; mortality data by cause were collected for the next 6 years. All cause and CHD mortality risk ratio (RR) in the different educational and occupational levels and residence were computed by Cox proportional hazards models. After 6 years 385 men died, of whom 105 were coronary fatalities. No association with educational level was found for all cause mortality (RR: 1.00 high, 0.71 medium, 0.77 low) and for CHD mortality (RR: 1.00 high, 0.39 intermediate, 0.71 low). Occupational level was significantly associated (p < 0.031) with all cause mortality (RR: 1.00 high-intermediate, 1.27 low). Urban vs. rural residence (RR: 1.00) showed a RR for all cause mortality of 1.33 (p < 0.011). Adjustment for bio-behavioral risk factors did not change the above results; only mortality for CHD of urban vs. rural residents increased (RR: 1.94, p = 0.004). In conclusion the negative association of mortality with occupational level, albeit not with education, indicates that occupation is a better indicator of socioeconomic status in Italy. Status incongruity as well as residence in an urban environment could be risk conditions for total and CHD mortality.

Adult↗

Mortality patterns in dairy animals under organized herd management conditions at Karnal, India.

Mortality patterns of two Zebu cattle breeds, Sahiwal and Tharparkar, and two crossbred strains, Karan Swiss and Karan Fries, maintained at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal were studied. Nine-year (1989--90 to 1997--98) data on mortality were analysed for year, season, age and cause effects on mortality rate. The overall mortality was 14.17%. The mortality in Sahiwal, Tharparkar, Karan Swiss and Karan Fries averaged 14.35%, 7.21%, 17.12% and 13.46%, respectively. The breed mortality rate did not vary significantly between years, seasons, age categories and causes of disease. However, the trends indicated appreciable difference in mortality rates. The mortality was highest in the year 1994--95 (19.53%) and lowest in 1991--92 (8.56%). There was very little variation in seasonal mortality rate and mortality rate averaged 4.53%, 4.81% and 4.84% in hot-dry (March-June), hot-humid (July-October) and cold (November-February) seasons, respectively. The mortality up to 2 months of age accounted for a major share (50-60% or higher) in different breed groups. Digestive problems followed by respiratory disorders together accounted for 70-80% of total deaths.

Age Distribution↗

Body mass index and alternative indices of obesity in relation to height, triceps skinfold and subsequent mortality: the Busselton health study.

OBJECTIVES: The ideal index for leanness and obesity in epidemiological studies should correlate strongly with body weight and with a direct measure of fat while minimizing the influence of height. The preferred index is expected to show meaningful associations with subsequent mortality. Our aims were to compare weight/height, weight/height(2) (body mass index or BMI), and weight/height(3) as candidates for this index. DESIGN: We analysed cross-sectional data from surveys of 6948 adults (3334 men (mean age 43 y, mean BMI 24.8 kg/m2), and 3614 women (mean age 42 y, mean BMI 24.3 kg/m2)) in Busselton, Australia whose weight, height, triceps skinfold, and cardiovascular risk factors were measured from 1966 through to 1978. In these same subjects we studied the mortality risks of indices of obesity using Cox regression analysis for survival time from first survey to death, or to follow up at the end of December 1995, after adjustment for age. Subjects dying within 5 y of the baseline survey were excluded from the analysis to avoid the bias of concurrent illness. We also studied subgroups including never smokers, subjects with no heart disease, and subjects <60 years of age at first survey. RESULTS: In men, weight/height2 met the criteria for a satisfactory index in that there was a very strong correlation with triceps skinfold, and a negligible correlation with height. For women, weight/height was as good a measure as weight/height2, with both having strong correlations with triceps skinfold, and minimal correlations with height. Weight/height2 as a predictor of mortality in men of all ages showed the typical U-shaped associations that were similar and consistent and of variable statistical significance. The significances of the hazard ratio curves were the strongest for cardiovascular disease deaths (all men P=0.001; men without heart disease at baseline P<0.001; never smoking men P=0.007). In never smoking men there was a near linear positive relationship with all-cause mortality (P=0.018). In women weight/height2 showed no consistent associations with mortality. There was a shallow U-shaped relationship with all-cause mortality (P=0.087), also seen in never smoking women (P=0.075). In assessing 'ideal' weight for height in this population, a weight/height2 of 25 kg/m2 (range 22.5-27.5 kg/m2) is appropriate. Weight/height and mortality showed very similar patterns in men to weight/height2 with quite similar levels of statistical significance. In women much more pronounced U-shaped curves were apparent in all groups and subgroups, with a significant all-cause mortality trend for all women (P=0.029) and never smoking women (P=0.034). In assessing 'ideal' weight for height a weight/height of 42.5 kg/m (range 35-50 kg/m) appears appropriate for men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Weight/height2 is an appropriate index of leanness and obesity in males at all ages, whereas weight/height is at least as good an index for females. In mortality studies weight/height2 and weight/height predict mortality similarly in males, but weight/height is a better discriminant of mortality in females. International Journal of Obesity (2000)24, 108-115

Adult↗

Body mass index, physical inactivity and low level of physical fitness as determinants of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality--16 y follow-up of middle-aged and elderly men and women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the independent associations and the possible interaction of body mass index (BMI), leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and perceived physical fitness and functional capability with the risk of mortality. DESIGN: Prospective 16y follow-up study. SUBJECTS: A regionally representative cohort of 35-63-y-old Finnish men (n= 1,090) and women (n= 1,122). MEASUREMENTS: All-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality were derived from the national census data until the end of September 1996 while the initial levels of BMI, LTPA, physical fitness and function were determined from self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, marital and employment status, perceived health status, smoking and alcohol consumption, the Cox proportional hazards model showed that BMI was not associated with the risk of death among the men or the women. Compared with the most active subjects the men and women with no weekly vigorous activity had relative risks of 1.61 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.98-2.64) and 4.68 (95% CI, 1.41-15.57), respectively, for CVD mortality, and for the men there was a relative risk of 1.66 (95% CI, 0.92-2.99) for CHD mortality. When compared with the men who perceived their fitness as better than their age-mates, the men with the 'worse' assessment had a relative risk of 3.29 (95% CI, 1.80-6.02) for all-cause mortality and 4.37 (95% CI, 1.80-10.6) for CVD mortality. Men with at least some difficulty in walking a distance of 2 km had a relative risk of 1.62 (95% CI, 1.05-2.50) for all-cause mortality when compared with those who had no functional difficulties. In addition, in the comparison with subjects with no functional difficulties, the men and women who had some difficulty climbing several flights of stairs had relative risks of 1.47 (95% CI, 0.97-2.23) and 2.39 (95% CI, 1.25-4.60) for all-cause mortality, respectively. For CVD mortality the relative risks were 1.85 (95% CI, 1.04-3.30) and 3.38 (1.22-9.41), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although BMI did not prove to be an independent risk factor for mortality from CVD, CHD or from all causes combined, perceived physical fitness and functional capability did. An increase in LTPA seems to have a similar beneficial effect on the mortality risk of obese and nonobese men and women, and the effect also seems to be similar for fit and unfit subjects.

Adult↗

Coarse and fine particles and daily mortality in the Coachella Valley, California: a follow-up study.

Many epidemiological studies provide evidence of an association between ambient particles, measured as PM10, and daily mortality. Most of these studies have been conducted in urban areas where PM10 is highly correlated with and dominated by fine particles less than 2.5 microm in diameter (PM2.5). Fewer studies have investigated impacts associated with the fraction of coarse mode particles (between 2.5 and 10 microm in diameter). In a previous study using data from 1989 through 1992 in the Coachella Valley, a desert resort and retirement area east of Los Angeles, we reported associations between PM10 and several different measures of mortality [Ostro B.D., Hurley S., and Lipsett M.J. Air pollution and daily mortality in the Coachella Valley, California: a study of PM10 dominated by coarse particles. Environ. Res. 1999: 81: 231-238]. In this arid environment, coarse particles of geologic origin are highly correlated with and comprise approximately 60% of PM10, increasing to >90% during wind events. This study was intended to repeat the earlier investigation using 10 years (1989-1998) of daily data on mortality and PM10. The last 2.5 years of data also included daily measures of PM2.5, allowing examination of size-specific impacts. To ensure adequate statistical power, we attempted to develop predictive models for both fine and coarse particles to use in analyses of the full 10-year period. An acceptable fit was found only for coarse particles, which were found to be a cubic function of PM10 (R2 = 0.95). Outcome variables included several measures of daily mortality, including all-cause (minus accidents and homicides), cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. Multivariate Poisson regression analyses using generalized additive models were employed to explain the variation in these endpoints, controlling for temperature, humidity, day of the week, season, and time, using locally weighted smoothing techniques. Pollution lags of up to 4 days were examined. Several pollutants were associated with all-cause mortality, including PM2.5, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. More consistent results were found for cardiovascular-specific mortality, for which associations were found for coarse particles (RR = 1.02; 95% C.I., 1.01-1.04), PM10 (RR = 1.03; 95% C.I., 1.01-1.05). None of the pollutants was associated with respiratory-specific mortality. Ozone was not associated with any of the mortality outcomes. These findings are generally consistent with those we previously reported for the Coachella Valley for the period 1989-1992, demonstrating associations between several measures of particulate matter and daily mortality in an environment in which particulate concentrations are dominated by the coarse fraction.

Air Pollutants↗

The quantification of mortality resulting from the regular use of illicit opiates.

UNLABELLED: AIMS/DESIGN: Estimates of mortality associated with illicit opiate use provide useful information to those directing and monitoring local, national and international policies and programmes. Most studies investigating the association have, however, been small with imprecise estimates of increased mortality. The current study combines data from a number of international studies in a meta-analysis to estimate more precisely mortality associated with illicit opiate use. Because HIV infection among injecting drug users differs dramatically between countries and localities, we excluded studies where AIDS was a major contributor to mortality. Studies were included only where AIDS-specific mortality accounted for less than 2% of total mortality. FINDINGS: Our results show a mortality rate for people regularly using illicit opiates, which is more than 13 times greater than that observed for the general community. It is estimated that 9.4% of total mortality in Australians aged 15-39 years of age can be attributed to regular use of illicit opiates. Application of this aetiological fraction to Australian mortality data for 1992 indicate that approximately 401 male and 161 female deaths occurred as a result of opiate use. This represents some 15,429 and 6261 person-years of life lost (to age 70) for males and females, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate for illicit opiate users is approximately 13 times greater than for the general population. The large number of years of life lost is reflective of the relatively young population (15-39 years of age) in which opiate-related mortality occurs. Relative risk estimates can also be applied to data on the prevalence of illicit opiate use in other countries to produce locally based aetiological fractions and estimates of person-years of life lost.

Adolescent↗

Declining mortality rates for nonmelanoma skin cancers in West Germany, 1968-99.

BACKGROUND: Mortality analyses based on routine death certification provide a rough guide to the magnitude of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) mortality. OBJECTIVES: To examine time trends in NMSC mortality over a 32-year period for the territory of West Germany which included a population of about 66 million people. METHODS: We analysed the NMSC skin cancer mortality data (1968-99) from the former West Germany including West Berlin. We calculated the age-specific and age-standardized mortality rates (World Standard Population) and used a Poisson regression to estimate the underlying age, cohort and period effects. RESULTS: The age-standardized mortality rate decreased from 0.56 per 100,000 in 1968 to 0.24 per 100,000 in 1999 among men and from 0.42 per 100,000 in 1968 to 0.11 per 100,000 in 1999 among women. The estimated annual percentage decrease of the age-standardized NMSC skin cancer mortality rate was -2.3%[95% confidence interval (CI) -2.6 to -1.9] among men and -3.5% (95% CI -4.0 to -3.1) among women during the period 1968-99. This decline is mainly due to a rate decrease in people aged 80 years or more. The change in NMSC skin cancer mortality rates was best explained by age, cohort and period effects. CONCLUSIONS: The NMSC mortality in West Germany showed a continuous decrease from 1968 to 1999. The favourable mortality decline by birth cohort in the most recent birth cohort is an indicator of a likely decline in mortality in the future.

Adult↗

Increased gallbladder-related mortality among Hispanics: does education play a role?

OBJECTIVE: Hispanics, particularly Mexican Americans, are known to have a higher incidence of mortalities whose underlying cause is a gallbladder-related disorder. These analyses evaluate the role of educational attainment in the differential mortality experiences of these populations. METHODS: US mortality data for 1989-1991 were examined to determine ethnically-specific death rates using 'any mention' of the disease on the death certificate. RESULTS: Age-adjusted multiple cause mortality was found to be higher for all gallbladder-related disorders among Hispanics, particularly Mexican Americans. Mortality due to gallbladder cancer, gallstones and 'other gallbladder diseases' were found to be inversely proportional to educational attainment in all ethnic groups. When both age and education were used to adjust mortality, the gallstone and other gallbladder disease mortality among Hispanics was non-significantly higher than white, non-Hispanics. However, mortality due to gallbladder cancer remained significantly higher among Hispanics. CONCLUSION: Gallbladder cancer mortality is elevated in Hispanic populations, especially Mexican Americans, independent of educational attainment. However, increased mortality associated with gallstones or other gallbladder diseases among Hispanics may be partially due to differences in factors associated with educational attainment. Research and public health efforts to address these educational-related factors may improve this mortality pattern among Hispanics.

Adult↗

Striking variation in coronary heart disease mortality in the United States among black and white women aged 45-54 by state.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. There has been a substantial decrease in CHD mortality in the past few decades in the United States for both women and men. The change in lifestyle after World War II may affect the incidence of and mortality from CHD in a more recent birth cohort, such as the 45-54-year-old age group. CHD mortality among women aged 45-54 by state and race in the United States and other countries in 1994 was evaluated. Correlation of the CHD mortality with state-specific and race-specific educational attainment (% of not a high school graduate) and state-specific prevalence of smoking was examined. There was a 2.5-fold difference in CHD mortality (ICD 410-414, 429.2) between black and white women aged 45-54: 78/100,000 for black versus 31/100,000 for white women; a 3-fold difference in CHD mortality among white women by state: 16/100,000 in Colorado versus 53/100,000 in Louisiana; and a 3-fold difference in CHD mortality among black women by state: 45/100,000 in New Jersey versus 124/100,000 in Arkansas. CHD mortality was correlated with educational attainment among white women (r = 0.62, p = 0.001) and with prevalence of smoking (r = 0.39, p = 0.021). There is a large variation in CHD mortality among women aged 45-54 in the United States by race and state. These differences may reflect variations in coronary risk factors. More detailed evaluation of determinants of CHD mortality by area is needed, as are public health programs that can reduce the marked disparity in CHD mortality in the United States.

Black or African American↗

Body mass index, height, weight, arm circumference, and mortality in rural Bangladeshi women: a 19-y longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Studies in Western populations report a J- or U-shaped relation between body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) and mortality, in which persons with extremes of BMI experience increased mortality. In contrast, little is known about populations in developing countries, where nutritional status is lower. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine the association between BMI and mortality in Bangladeshi women. DESIGN: A cohort of 1888 rural Bangladeshi women (mean age: 27.9 y) was followed over 19 y. Height, weight, arm circumference, fertility, and socioeconomic data were obtained between 1975 and 1979. Mortality, loss-to-follow-up, and additional socioeconomic data were identified by the demographic surveillance system of the International Centre for Health and Population Research, Bangladesh. Proportional hazards regression was used to examine the relation between BMI and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The association between BMI and mortality was reverse J-shaped. After adjustment for socioeconomic indicators, the risk of dying was highest in women with BMIs in the lowest 10% of the decile distribution (< 16.39) and lowest in women with intermediate (11-89% range of the decile distribution) BMIs (16.39-20.71). Women with BMIs in the highest 10% of the distribution (> 20.71) had slightly elevated mortality (NS) compared with those with intermediate BMIs. Age and education were strongly associated with mortality. Women without schooling had a risk of mortality 4 times that of women with > or = 1 y of schooling. CONCLUSIONS: A woman's BMI relative to the BMI distribution in the local population may be a better predictor of mortality than is absolute BMI. The contribution of education in reducing mortality supports development programs aimed at increasing women's education.

Adolescent↗

Mortality among Canadian women with cosmetic breast implants.

There is widespread concern about possible long-term health effects among women who have received breast implants for cosmetic purposes; few studies have reported on the mortality patterns of such women. The authors examined cause-specific mortality in a cohort of 24,558 women with breast implants and 15,893 women who underwent other plastic surgery procedures in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, between 1974 and 1989. Deaths through 1997 were identified through linkage to the national mortality database. The authors compared the mortality of women who received implants with that of the general population by using standardized mortality ratios; Poisson regression was used to perform internal cohort comparisons. Overall mortality was lower among women who received breast implants relative to the general population (standardized mortality ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval: 0.68, 0.81). In contrast, higher suicide rates were observed in both the implant (standardized mortality ratio = 1.73, 95% confidence interval: 1.31, 2.24) and other plastic surgery (standardized mortality ratio = 1.55, 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 2.18) patients. No differences in mortality were found between the implant and other surgeries group for any of the 20 causes of death examined. Findings suggest that breast implants do not directly increase mortality in women. Further work is needed to evaluate risk factors for suicide among women who undergo elective cosmetic surgery.

Adolescent↗

Gastrointestinal cancer mortality in New Jersey counties, and the relationship with environmental variables.

The State of New Jersey (NJ) USA has been thought to have an unusually high cancer mortality rate; this assumption has been based on 1950-1969 mortality data for its 21 counties. This paper presents an analysis of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer mortality rates in New Jersey counties during 1968-1977, a comparison with the 1950-1969 rates, and associations between current GI cancer mortality rates and selected environmental variables. Age-adjusted mortality rates for GI cancers were calculated for the 21 NJ counties during the period 1968-1977, and were compared with the period 1950-1969, with the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) survey and with cancer mortality in the US, 1973-1977. The county rates were also correlated with: the distribution of chemical toxic waste disposal sites; annual per capita income; the rates of low birth weight, birth defects, and infant mortality; chemical industry distribution; percentage of the population employed in chemical industries; the density of population; and the urbanization index for each of the counties. Some of the major findings are: Age-adjusted GI cancer mortality rates (all sites combined) were higher than national rates in 20 of 21 NJ counties. In comparison with national trends, NJ stomach cancer rates have declined less, oesophageal cancer rates have declined more, and pancreatic cancer mortality rates have followed similar patterns. Cancer mortality rates in NJ during the period 1968-1977 significantly (p less than 0.0001) exceeded national rates for cancer of the oesophagus (white male, non-white male), stomach (men and women), colon (white male, white female, non-white female), and rectum (whites only). In 18 of the 21 NJ counties, the observed number of cancer deaths for at least one GI cancer site was significantly greater than expected at the 0.0001 level for at least one population subgroup. Among white men, a significant (p less than 0.0001) excess of observed over expected cancer deaths was observed for three or more GI cancer sites in seven counties. The environmental variables that were most frequently associated with GI cancer mortality rates (except pancreatic cancer) were degree of urbanization, population density, and chemical toxic waste disposal sites. Some of the implications of the study findings are discussed and recommendations made for future investigations.

Adult↗

Ecological analysis of the association between mortality and major risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organization MONICA Project.

BACKGROUND: The WHO Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) Project has been established to measure trends in cardiovascular mortality and coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease morbidity and to assess the extent to which these trends are related to changes in known risk factors at the same time in defined communities in different countries. This cross-sectional study is based on data from the early part of the Project and assesses the association between mortality and population risk factor levels. METHODS: Thirty-five populations of men and women aged 35-64 years are used in correlation analyses between four mortality measures (deaths from all causes, cardiovascular diseases, ischaemic heart disease and stroke) and three cardiovascular risk factors (regular cigarette smoking, blood pressure and total cholesterol). RESULTS: In male populations all-causes mortality and stroke mortality had more than 39% of their variance explained by the three risk factors but all cardiovascular and ischaemic heart disease mortality had less than 25% of their variance explained. For female populations each mortality measure except ischaemic heart disease mortality had more than 33% of their variances accounted for by the three risk factors. For both the male and female populations each of the mortality measures shows strong associations with high blood pressure but the associations with smoking and high cholesterol are generally weaker and much less consistent. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis has shown that accepted cardiovascular mortality risk factors measured cross-sectionally at the population level do not reflect well the variation in mortality between populations.

Adult↗

Premature cardiovascular mortality in France: divergent evolution between social categories from 1970 to 1990.

BACKGROUND: In France, differences in cardiovascular risk factor distribution have been observed which might be responsible for some disparities in cardiovascular mortality between social categories. The goal of the study was thus to assess the differences in coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) mortality according to social category, and to determine their trends over the last 20 years in France. METHODS: Mortality data for CHD, CVD, diseases of the circulatory system (CS) and all causes mortality (TM) were based on death certificates for 1970, 1980 and 1990, and categorized by sex, age group (35-44 and 45-54 years), region and social category. RESULTS: Among active men, from 1970 to 1990, the overall decrease observed for all causes of death was significantly slower among employees and workers for CHD, CS and TM (P < 0.001), but not for CVD. In 1990, the highest mortality rates were observed among employees and workers for CHD, CVD and CS mortality. In women, no such trend was observed for CHD, CVD or CS mortality. No statistically significant difference between social categories was observed in 1990 for CHD and CVD. In the whole active population, a negative trend for the mortality rates was observed between 1970 and 1990 whatever the cause in both sexes. The ratio between mortality rates among non-active versus active people increased during the two decades in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: In men, the inequalities have increased over the last two decades for CHD and have not been reduced for CVD. The category of employees and workers were found to be at special risk for premature cardiovascular disease mortality. Among women, the trends were less clear, although the tendencies were the same. An increasing disparity between active and non-active people suggests that a health-related selection process towards unemployment might have contributed to the decreasing mortality rates observed among employees and workers.

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