Abstract

ISHITANI, Lenice Harumi  and  FRANCA, Elisabeth. Chronic-degenerative diseases among adults of the Center-South region of the Belo Horizonte city: analyses by multiple causes of death approach. Inf. Epidemiol. Sus [online]. 2001, vol.10, n.4, pp.177-188. ISSN 0104-1673.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S0104-16732001000400004.

Mortality statistics are an important tool to evaluate the population's health status. This analysis has traditionally been based on the concept of the underlying cause of death. Today, however, with the increasing proportion of death from chronic-degenerative diseases, an increased number of conditions are reported on death certificates, making assignment of a single cause difficult and resulting in the loss of information about conditions which are not classified as the underlying cause of death. Analysis based on multiple causes could be a new dimension in mortality statistics. This approach was used in this study of deaths caused by chronic diseases in the Center-South region of the city of Belo Horizonte. All deaths of adults aged 20 to 69 years which ocurred in the period between 1996 and 1998, caused by diabetes, cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, cirrhosis and chronic lower respiratory tract diseases were considered. The proportional mortality of diabetes mellitus and hypertensive diseases was 1.7 and 2.3%, respectively when analyzed based on the underlying cause of death, and rose to 5.4 and 9.0%, respectively, when analyzed using the multiple cause of death approach. Health policies must provide health promotion and protection, with emphasis on knowledge and prevention of risk factors. The multiple causes of death approach could be an important instrument for planning and implementing effective health programs of chronic-degenerative diseases.

Keywords : Mortality; Chronic Diseases; Cause of Death; Multiple Causes of Death.

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