[Study on the mortality of injury in Chinese population in urban and rural areas from 1990 to 1997].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics and trend of injuries among urban and rural Chinese population.


METHODS
Data from annual Chinese national health statistics (1990 - 1997) were analyzed.


RESULTS
The overall mortality of injury in China increased from 36.8/10(6) to 76.7/10(6) from 1990 to 1997. Injury was the forth leading causes of death in urban areas and the fifth in rural areas. The death rate of injury declined in the urban while increasing in the rural areas. The rural death rate of injury was about two times of that in urban and the difference was increasing over time. The death rate of men was higher than that of women and the ratio was 1.3 - 1.9. Children below 4 years old and people above 60 years old showed the highest rates. The first three leading causes of death of injuries in urban areas were traffic accident, suicide and fall, while in rural areas were suicide, traffic accident and drowning. The death rate caused by suicide was 6.5/10(6) - 27.1/10(6) and the rate in rural areas was 2.7 to 4.0 times of that in urban areas. The mortality of suicide declined in urban while increased in rural areas. The mortality of traffic accidents had a tendency of increase in both urban and rural areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Injury has been one of the leading cause of death but without effectively control programs for population in Urban and Rural areas in China, special in rural areas.
Cao
W
W
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Beijing University, Beijing 100083, China.
Wu
T
T
An
T
T
Li
L
L
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*