Adult non-communicable disease mortality in Africa and Asia: evidence from INDEPTH Health and Demographic Surveillance System sites.
BACKGROUND
Mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major global issue, as other categories of mortality have diminished and life expectancy has increased. The World Health Organization's Member States have called for a 25% reduction in premature NCD mortality by 2025, which can only be achieved by substantial reductions in risk factors and improvements in the management of chronic conditions. A high burden of NCD mortality among much older people, who have survived other hazards, is inevitable. The INDEPTH Network collects detailed individual data within defined Health and Demographic Surveillance sites. By registering deaths and carrying out verbal autopsies to determine cause of death across many such sites, using standardised methods, the Network seeks to generate population-based mortality statistics that are not otherwise available.


OBJECTIVE
To describe patterns of adult NCD mortality from INDEPTH Network sites across Africa and Asia, according to the WHO 2012 verbal autopsy (VA) cause categories, with separate consideration of premature (15-64 years) and older (65+ years) NCD mortality.


METHODS
All adult deaths at INDEPTH sites are routinely registered and followed up with VA interviews. For this study, VA archives were transformed into the WHO 2012 VA standard format and processed using the InterVA-4 model to assign cause of death. Routine surveillance data also provide person-time denominators for mortality rates.


RESULTS
A total of 80,726 adult (over 15 years) deaths were documented over 7,423,497 person-years of observation. NCDs were attributed as the cause for 35.6% of these deaths. Slightly less than half of adult NCD deaths occurred in the 15-64 age group. Detailed results are presented by age and sex for leading causes of NCD mortality. Per-site rates of NCD mortality were significantly correlated with rates of HIV/AIDS-related mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings present important evidence on the distribution of NCD mortality across a wide range of African and Asian settings. This comes against a background of global concern about the burden of NCD mortality, especially among adults aged under 70, and provides an important baseline for future work.
Matlab HDSS, Bangladesh; International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh; INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana.
P Kim
PK
Streatfield
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh; INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Bandarban HDSS, Bangladesh.
Wasif A
WA
Khan
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Chakaria HDSS, Bangladesh; Centre for Equity and Health Systems, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.
Abbas
A
Bhuiya
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Chakaria HDSS, Bangladesh; Centre for Equity and Health Systems, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.
Syed M A
SM
Hanifi
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; AMK HDSS, Bangladesh; Centre for Population, Urbanisation and Climate Change, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.
Nurul
N
Alam
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Nouna HDSS, Burkina Faso; Nouna Health Research Centre, Nouna, Burkina Faso.
Cheik H
CH
Bagagnan
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Nouna HDSS, Burkina Faso; Nouna Health Research Centre, Nouna, Burkina Faso.
Ali
A
Sié
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Nouna HDSS, Burkina Faso; Nouna Health Research Centre, Nouna, Burkina Faso.
Pascal
P
Zabré
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Ouagadougou HDSS, Burkina Faso; Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population, Université de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Institut d'Études Démographique et du parcours de vie, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.
Bruno
B
Lankoandé
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Ouagadougou HDSS, Burkina Faso; Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population, Université de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Institut d'Études Démographique et du parcours de vie, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.
Clementine
C
Rossier
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Ouagadougou HDSS, Burkina Faso; Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population, Université de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Institut d'Études Démographique et du parcours de vie, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.
Abdramane B
AB
Soura
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Taabo HDSS, Côte d'Ivoire; , Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Bassirou
B
Bonfoh
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Taabo HDSS, Côte d'Ivoire; , Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Siaka
S
Kone
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Taabo HDSS, Côte d'Ivoire; , Université Félix Houphoët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Eliezer K
EK
Ngoran
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Taabo HDSS, Côte d'Ivoire; , Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
Juerg
J
Utzinger
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kilite-Awlaelo HDSS, Ethiopia; Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Fisaha
F
Haile
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kilite-Awlaelo HDSS, Ethiopia; Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Yohannes A
YA
Melaku
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kilite-Awlaelo HDSS, Ethiopia; Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Berhe
B
Weldearegawi
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Farafenni HDSS, The Gambia; Medical Research Council, The Gambia Unit, Fajara, The Gambia.
Pierre
P
Gomez
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Farafenni HDSS, The Gambia; Medical Research Council, The Gambia Unit, Fajara, The Gambia.
Momodou
M
Jasseh
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Navrongo HDSS, Ghana; Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana.
Patrick
P
Ansah
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Navrongo HDSS, Ghana; Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana.
Cornelius
C
Debpuur
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Navrongo HDSS, Ghana; Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana.
Abraham
A
Oduro
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Navrongo HDSS, Ghana; Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana.
George
G
Wak
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Dodowa HDSS, Ghana; Dodowa Health Research Centre, Dodowa, Ghana.
Alexander
A
Adjei
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Dodowa HDSS, Ghana; Ballabgarh HDSS, India.
Margaret
M
Gyapong
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Dodowa HDSS, Ghana; Ballabgarh HDSS, India.
Doris
D
Sarpong
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Ballabgarh HDSS, India; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Shashi
S
Kant
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Ballabgarh HDSS, India; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Puneet
P
Misra
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Ballabgarh HDSS, India; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Sanjay K
SK
Rai
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Vadu HDSS, India; Vadu Rural Health Program, KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India.
Sanjay
S
Juvekar
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Vadu HDSS, India; Vadu Rural Health Program, KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India.
Pallavi
P
Lele
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kilifi HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
Evasius
E
Bauni
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kilifi HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
George
G
Mochamah
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kilifi HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
Carolyne
C
Ndila
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kilifi HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya; Department of Medicine, Imperial College, St. Mary's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Thomas N
TN
Williams
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kisumu HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI/CDC Research and Public Health Collaboration and KEMRI Center for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya.
Kayla F
KF
Laserson
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kisumu HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI/CDC Research and Public Health Collaboration and KEMRI Center for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya.
Amek
A
Nyaguara
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kisumu HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI/CDC Research and Public Health Collaboration and KEMRI Center for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya.
Frank O
FO
Odhiambo
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Kisumu HDSS, Kenya; KEMRI/CDC Research and Public Health Collaboration and KEMRI Center for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya.
Penelope
P
Phillips-Howard
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Nairobi HDSS, Kenya; African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Alex
A
Ezeh
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Nairobi HDSS, Kenya; African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Catherine
C
Kyobutungi
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Nairobi HDSS, Kenya; African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Samuel
S
Oti
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Karonga HDSS, Malawi; Karonga Prevention Study, Chilumba, Malawi; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Amelia
A
Crampin
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Karonga HDSS, Malawi; Karonga Prevention Study, Chilumba, Malawi.
Moffat
M
Nyirenda
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Karonga HDSS, Malawi; Karonga Prevention Study, Chilumba, Malawi; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Alison
A
Price
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Niakhar HDSS, Senegal; Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), Dakar, Sénégal.
Valérie
V
Delaunay
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Niakhar HDSS, Senegal; Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), Dakar, Sénégal.
Aldiouma
A
Diallo
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Niakhar HDSS, Senegal; Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), Dakar, Sénégal.
Laetitia
L
Douillot
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Niakhar HDSS, Senegal; Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), Dakar, Sénégal.
Cheikh
C
Sokhna
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Agincourt HDSS, South Africa; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
F Xavier
FX
Gómez-Olivé
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Agincourt HDSS, South Africa; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Kathleen
K
Kahn
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Agincourt HDSS, South Africa; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Stephen M
SM
Tollman
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Africa Centre HDSS, South Africa; Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Somkhele, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Kobus
K
Herbst
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; Africa Centre HDSS, South Africa; National Health Laboratory, Surveillance & Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, Dudelange, Luxembourg.
Joël
J
Mossong
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; FilaBavi HDSS, Vietnam; Health System Research, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Nguyen T K
NT
Chuc
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana.
Martin
M
Bangha
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; osman.sankoh@indepth-network.org.
Osman A
OA
Sankoh
INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; WHO Collaborating Centre for Verbal Autopsy, Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Peter
P
Byass
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors
Africa; Asia; INDEPTH Network; InterVA; adults; mortality; non-communicable disease; verbal autopsy