[Medical coverage of the disease that causes death and place of death in the sixth region of Chile from 1990 to 2003].
BACKGROUND
The place of death has changed and coverage of medical attention at death varies according to the development level of countries.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the evolution of coverage of medical attention of the last disease and place of death as indicators of health care quality and development level, in the sixth region of Chile.


METHODS
We analyzed the Chilean death certificate data bases for the period 1990--2003. We performed linear regression analysis of death year with place of death and medical attention at death, comparing the sixth region and the rest of Chile.


RESULTS
The population under study corresponds to 1,102,896 death records, from 1990 to 2003. Proportion of deaths at home decreased in sixth region and increased in the rest of our country. Deaths at home for individuals under 15 years of age, decreased. Deaths in places different from home or hospital increased progressively in elderly people. The same happened among adolescents, probably related to the high proportion of deaths due to trauma.


CONCLUSIONS
Coverage of attention of diseases that cause death improved. Place of death varies according to age. There is a remarkable increase in the access of children to hospitals, for the treatment of severe diseases. These results indicate that Chilean healthcare system quality has improved.
Leiva H
Heidy
H
Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Regional de Rancagua, Chile. draheidy@terra.cl
León K
Francisco
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003644:Death Certificates; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006699:Home Care Services; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013727:Terminal Care