title: Trends of asthma mortality in Galicia from 1993 to 2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the past few years, deaths due to asthma appear to decrease at least in Western countries; but there are significant variations between populations. The aim of this study is to describe the trends in deaths due to asthma between 1993 and 2007 in our community and to analyze any factors associated with this.
  
  
  METHODS
  All cases, which had asthma as a cause of death, were included in the study. The mortality data were obtained from the official death certificate from the Deaths Register. Mortality relative risk, based on the calendar year, sociodemographic variables (age and gender), seasons, and days of the week, were estimated using a Poisson generalized linear model with a log-link.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 15 years of the study period, a total of 1180 people had died due to asthma, mainly in winter (34.5%), women (64.5%), and advanced age (65 years or above; 84.6%). A tendency of decreased mortality in all age groups was observed during the period of the study, which was significant in both the sexes in the 35- to 64-year-old age group, and in males above 65 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Death due to asthma is changing favorably in our community, with a tendency to decrease in the past few years. Advanced age, being female, and the winter period are associated with a higher mortality rate due to asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. francisco.javier.gonzalez.barcala@sergas.es
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Barcala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aboal
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Carreira
authors.forename: M X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Alvarez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puga
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanjose
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pintos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valdes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult