A population-based study of diabetes mortality.
In a population-based investigation among the residents of Rochester, Minnesota, the diabetes mortality rate was 8.5 per 100,000 person-years with diabetes as the underlying cause of death, 31.5 per 100,000 person-years with diabetes as an underlying or contributory cause, and 82.7 per 100,000 person-years if all deaths among diabetic individuals were counted. Diabetes was not mentioned on the certificate in 62% of the 428 diabetic deaths during 1965-1974. When the clinical characteristics of the subgroup of mortality cases in 1969 were compared with those of the prevalence cases on 1 January 1970, it was found that mortality cases tended to be older, were more often on insulin therapy, and were more likely to have macro- and microvascular complications. Because mortality data are sometimes used to infer trends and characteristics for the diabetic population at large, it is important to recognize these biases.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000401:mortality*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota