title: Associations between chronic diseases and choking deaths among older adults in the USA: a cross-sectional study using multiple cause mortality data from 2009 to 2013.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether the strengths of the associations between chronic diseases and overall choking differ from those of the associations between chronic diseases and only food-related choking.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study used nationwide multiple cause mortality files.
  
  
  METHODS
  The USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Older adults aged 65 years or more died between 2009 and 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mortality ratio (observed/expected) of number of deaths from both causes (chronic diseases and choking) and 95% CIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 76543 deaths for which the death certificates report choking (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes W78, W79 and W80 combined) as a cause of death and only 4974 (6.5%) deaths were classified as food-related choking (ICD-10 code W79). Schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and oral cancer are four chronic diseases that had significant associations with both overall and food-related choking. Stroke, larynx cancer and mood (affective) disorders had significant associations with overall choking, but not with food-related choking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest using overall choking instead of only food-related choking to better describe the associations between chronic diseases and choking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan Department of Pharmacy, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Shiann
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuan-Chin
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan Department of Neurology, Occupational Medicine, Management in Medical Records and Information, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan Department of Occupational Safety/Institute of Industrial Safety and Disaster Prevention, College of Sustainable Environment, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tain-Junn
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: NCKU Research Center for Health Data and Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hsueh
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003644:Death Certificates; D004435:Eating; D005502:Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY MEDICINE; GERIATRIC MEDICINE; PUBLIC HEALTH; THORACIC MEDICINE