Changing pattern of premature mortality burden over 6 years of rapid growth of the economy in suburban south-west China: 1998-2003.
BACKGROUND
This study was conducted in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, a poor province in south-west China experiencing rapid economic growth. The study examined the short-term trend in premature mortality burden from common causes of death in a suburban region between 1998 and 2003.


METHODS
Years of life lost (YLL) per 1000 population and mortality rate per 100,000 population were calculated from medical death certificates, and broken down by cause of death, sex and year without age weighting but with a discounting rate of 3%.


RESULTS
Non-communicable diseases contributed over 80% of all causes of YLL, with a slightly increasing trend. The combined rate for communicable, maternal, prenatal and nutritional deficiencies declined from 4.7 to 2.4 per 1000 population. Remarkably, declining trends in YLL were also seen for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, drug use and road traffic accidents, whereas increasing trends were seen for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and liver cancer (males). The YLL rate for stroke, self-inflicted injuries, lung cancer and stomach cancer fluctuated over time.


CONCLUSIONS
The region should focus on further control of IHD and liver cancer.
Cai
Le
L
Department of Health Information and Economics, Faculty of Public Health, Kunming Medical College, Kunming, China. caile002@hotmail.com
Chongsuvivatwong
Virasakdi
V
Geater
Alan
A
D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D013383:Suburban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*