title: A follow-up study of diabetic Oklahoma Indians. Mortality and causes of death.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the mortality rates and causes of death for diabetic Oklahoma Indian adults by sex and age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cohort follow-up study with baseline examination between 1972-1980 and the mortality follow-up between 1986 and 1989. Mean follow-up time was 10 +/- 4 yr. A quasi-random sample of 1012 (379 men and 633 women) NIDDM American Indians in Oklahoma was performed. Mean age was 52 yr and duration was 7 yr at baseline. Mean degree of Indian blood was 92% (77% full blood). At follow-up, 548 (54%) were alive, 452 (45%) were decreased, and 12 (1%) could not be traced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Death certificates were obtained and coded (ICD-9) for 439 (97%) of the deceased. Mean annual mortality rates were 4.99% for men and 4.17% for women, with an increasing trend with age for both sexes. Compared with the general population of Oklahoma, the observed/expected ratios for number of deaths were 2.92 for men and 4.09 for women (P < 0.0001). The three leading causes of death were circulatory disease (38%), diabetes (24%), and malignant neoplasms (12%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an excessively high mortality among diabetic Oklahoma Indians compared with the general population in the state and with diabetic patients in other populations.
authors.affiliation: Center for Epidemiological Research, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190.
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009825:Oklahoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics