title: Comparative mortality in mentally retarded patients in California, with and without Down's syndrome, 1986-1991.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The large database of the California Department of Developmental Services provides a data source for mortality rates in persons with mental retardation by age, sex, severity, cause and associated conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data for 1986-1991 were used to determine age-related mortality rates in cases with and without Down's Syndrome, in three severity levels of mental retardation. Distribution data for the data-base population are also given.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In both Down's and non-Down's patient groups excess mortality increased with severity of mental retardation at all ages. In both groups excess mortality tended to decrease with advancing age to age 35-39 years, and to increase at the older ages. The age increase in excess death rate at age 40 years and up was steeper in the patients with Down's Syndrome.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Riverside, USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index