Changes in mortality among the elderly Finnish population 1951-1979.
Morbidity and mortality cannot be explained by biological factors alone; socio-economic factors, environment, life-style and health care delivery system also affect mortality rates. Many changes have taken place in socio-economic factors and environment among the elderly, and the health care system has expanded over the last few decades in Finland. However, the social changes have not only been for the better; and the changes in different causes of death among the elderly may have been different. Overall mortality among elderly Finnish males and females decreased in the 1950s, but increased at the beginning of the 1960s. From the later half of the 1960s overall mortality decreased. The decrease in female death rates began earlier and was more rapid than among males. Over one-half of the decrease from 1960-1969 to 1970-1979 among elderly males was due to the decrease in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality; one-fifth was due to the decrease in genitourinary mortality. The male death rates in neoplasms and in violent causes increased during the period under study. Over one-half of the decrease from 1960-1969 to 1970-1979 among elderly females was attributable to the decrease in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality. Lessening genitourinary mortality, gastrointestinal mortality, respiratory mortality, mortality from neoplasms and from violent causes accounted for less than 5% decrease in overall mortality.
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D014754:Violence