Mortality differences between elderly Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites in San Antonio, Texas.
OBJECTIVE
To identify differences in causes of death between elderly Mexican Americans (MA) and non-Hispanic whites (NHW).


METHODS
Retrospective death certificate review.


METHODS
Elderly Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic Whites age 65 and over who died in Bexar County, Texas during 1989.


METHODS
Data obtained from chart review included age, sex, race/ethnicity, and cause of death. Age-adjusted and cause-specific mortality rates, odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.


RESULTS
Mexican Americans were at greater risk of dying in nine of the thirty causes of death examined. The mortality rates of MA subjects were higher than those of NHW from death caused by diabetes (OR = 3.19, CI = 2.27-4.49), renal failure (OR = 2.06, CI = 1.44-2.94), congestive heart failure (OR = 1.50, CI = 1.44-2.94), and multiple systemic diseases (OR = 2.59, CI = 1.89-3.57). Among the male subjects, MA had a greater risk than NHW of dying from myocardial infarction (OR = 1.83, CI = 1.15-2.90), coronary disease (OR = 1.37, CI = 1.07-1.75) and septicemia/pyuria (OR = 2.12, CI = 1.09-4.10). Among female subjects, MA had a greater likelihood of dying from cirrhosis (OR = 3.03, CI = 1.00-9.29). For only one of the causes of death was the risk lower among MA than NHW: MA female subjects had a lesser chance of dying from the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than NHW females (OR = 0.36, CI = 0.18-0.72).


CONCLUSIONS
Mexican American elders have a greater risk of dying from non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and renal failure than their NHW counterparts. Elderly MA men have a greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than their NHW counterparts. Mexican American women may have a greater risk of dying from cirrhosis, but a lower risk of dying from complications of COPD. Finally, death from ill defined causes, such as multiple systemic diseases, may be a major under-acknowledged cause of death among older MA.
Espino
D V
DV
Department of Family Practice, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Parra
E O
EO
Kriehbiel
R
R
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003644:Death Certificates; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D009026:Mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013781:Texas; D044465:White People