Articles: mortality.
-
The Idikan adult mortality study is designed to explore the usefulness of the verbal autopsy methodology in the determination of cause-specific adult mortality. Such data have been largely unavailable in developing countries. Members of a stable urban community (4333 adults) were registered in their family units and followed up every 3 months to ascertain deaths, exits and new entries to the study population. ⋯ The cause of death assigned by verbal autopsy agreed moderately both between the independent coders as well as with the hospital assigned cause of death using the Kappa statistics for agreement beyond chance. We therefore concluded that verbal autopsies appear moderately useful for adult death statistics (Kappa = 0.23 to 0.1). Accumulation of more hospital deaths is needed, however, to make more definite conclusions about the validity of the technique.
-
J Public Health Med · Jun 2000
Investigation of the association between excess winter mortality and socio-economic deprivation.
Excess winter mortality is higher in England and Wales than in other European countries with similar or lower average winter temperatures. It might be expected that excess winter mortality would be higher in areas with greater socio-economic deprivation, and if this were so preventive interventions could be directed at populations in these areas. The association between deprivation and excess winter mortality has not been adequately investigated in the past. The aim of this study was to look at the association between excess winter mortality and socio-economic deprivation, so that policy decisions to reduce this excess mortality could be appropriately directed. ⋯ Excess winter mortality is not associated with deprivation. Further research to identify the important aetiological factors and appropriate interventions to reduce excess winter mortality is needed.
-
Homeless persons in US cities have high mortality rates. However, few comparison data exist for death rates among homeless persons in other developed countries. ⋯ Mortality rates among men who use homeless shelters in Toronto, while higher than in the general population of Toronto, are much lower than mortality rates observed among men using homeless shelters in 3 major US cities. Further study is needed to identify the reasons for this disparity.
-
The case-notes of 2776 patients diagnosed with oesophageal and OGJ cancer in the 5 years from 1 January 1992 to 31 December 1996 were scrutinized by one experienced surgeon. Tumour types were classified by histology and site, and treatment modalities assessed for 30-day mortality rate together with life-table analyses. ⋯ Squamous carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the oesophageal body are now equally common; lower-third and OGJ tumours are predominantly adenocarcinomas. This study provides baseline data for critical appraisal of potential changes in the delivery of upper gastrointestinal cancer in the UK.
-
To review pathophysiology and management of hypovolaemic, cardiogenic and septic shock in a two-part presentation. ⋯ Hypovolaemic shock requires urgent management of the underlying defect and replacement of the intravascular volume loss. Recent studies in management of cardiogenic shock using urgent revascularisation and intra-aortic Balloon counterpulsation in patients with acute myocardial infarction have shown a reduction in mortality in selected cases.