[Mortality surveillance in cities: results in Valencia and Alicante, [Spain]].
OBJECTIVE
To describe mortality patterns, in general and by selected specific causes in Valencia and Alicante, to establish internal inequalities by districts, and to evaluate changes in the magnitude of these inequalities over time.


METHODS
Deaths among residents of Valencia and Alicante in the periods 1990-1992 and 1996-1998 were assigned to residential municipal districts. Comparisons between the periods studied and between cities were carried out using the relative risk derived from a Poisson regression model. A comparative mortality figure was calculated using the 17 largest groups of the 9th International Classification of Diseases. Rates adjusted by the direct method, standardized mortality ratio, potential years of life lost (PYLL) ratio and life expectancy at birth were calculated by districts in each study period.


RESULTS
The risks of death from all causes decreased between the first and second periods in both men and women in both cities. Life expectancy significantly increased in both cities for men and in Valencia for women. The city of Valencia had the greatest risk of death in both periods. Some causes of death increased (groups 5 and 6, mental and nervous system disorders and sensory organ diseases). By districts, there was greater variability in Valencia than in Alicante, especially in districts 1 and 11 in Valencia, which showed a high risk of death.


CONCLUSIONS
The process of internal mortality surveillance by districts is reproducible. In the city of Valencia there were inequalities in mortality that were maintained over time. The city of Alicante showed less internal variability in its mortality indicators.
Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Spain. nolasco@ua.es
Andreu
A
Nolasco
Inmaculada
I
Melchor
Joaquín
J
Moncho
Carmen
C
García
José
J
Verdú
Pablo
P
Caballero
Socorro
S
Valero
Purificación
P
Martínez
María Jesús
MJ
Pérez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*