title: [Malaria mortality in Colombia, 1979-2008].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Colombia, malaria represents a serious public health problem. It is estimated that approximately 60% of the population is at risk of the disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the mortality trends for malaria in Colombia, from 1979 to 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive study to determine the trends of the malaria mortality was carried out. The information sources used were databases of registered deaths and population projections from 1979 to 2008 of the National Statistics Department. The indicator used was the mortality rate. The trend was analyzed by join point regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six thousands nine hundred and sixty five deaths caused by malaria were certified for an age-adjusted rate of 0.74 deaths/100.000 inhabitants for the study period. In 74.3% of the deaths, the parasite species was not mentioned. The trend in the mortality rate showed a statistically significant decreasing behavior, which was lower from the second half of the nineties as compared with that presented in the eighties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The magnitude of mortality by malaria in Colombia is not high, in spite of the evident underreporting. A marked downward trend was observed between 1979 and 2008. The information obtained from death certificates, along with that of the public health surveillance system will allow to modify the recommendations and improve the implementation of preventive and control measures to further reduce the mortality caused by malaria.
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de Vigilancia en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaparro
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Padilla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult