title: Mortality trends and differentials in South Africa from 1997 to 2012: second National Burden of Disease Study.
abstract: The poor health of South Africans is known to be associated with a quadruple disease burden. In the second National Burden of Disease (NBD) study, we aimed to analyse cause of death data for 1997-2012 and develop national, population group, and provincial estimates of the levels and causes of mortality.
  
  
  
  We used underlying cause of death data from death notifications for 1997-2012 obtained from Statistics South Africa. These data were adjusted for completeness using indirect demographic techniques for adults and comparison with survey and census estimates for child mortality. A regression approach was used to estimate misclassified HIV/AIDS deaths and so-called garbage codes were proportionally redistributed by age, sex, and population group population group (black African, Indian or Asian descent, white [European descent], and coloured [of mixed ancestry according to the preceding categories]). Injury deaths were estimated from additional data sources. Age-standardised death rates were calculated with mid-year population estimates and the WHO age standard. Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation Global Burden of Disease (IHME GBD) estimates for South Africa were obtained from the IHME GHDx website for comparison.
  
  
  
  All-cause age-standardised death rates increased rapidly since 1997, peaked in 2006 and then declined, driven by changes in HIV/AIDS. Mortality from tuberculosis, non-communicable diseases, and injuries decreased slightly. In 2012, HIV/AIDS caused the most deaths (29·1%) followed by cerebrovascular disease (7·5%) and lower respiratory infections (4·9%). All-cause age-standardised death rates were 1·7 times higher in the province with the highest death rate compared to the province with the lowest death rate, 2·2 times higher in black Africans compared to whites, and 1·4 times higher in males compared with females. Comparison with the IHME GBD estimates for South Africa revealed substantial differences for estimated deaths from all causes, particularly HIV/AIDS and interpersonal violence.
  
  
  
  This study shows the reversal of HIV/AIDS, non-communicable disease, and injury mortality trends in South Africa during the study period. Mortality differentials show the importance of social determinants, raise concerns about the quality of health services, and provide relevant information to policy makers for addressing inequalities. Differences between GBD estimates for South Africa and this study emphasise the need for more careful calibration of global models with local data.
  
  
  
  South African Medical Research Council's Flagships Awards Project.
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: victoria.pillayvanwyk@mrc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pillay-van Wyk
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Msemburi
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laubscher
authors.affiliation: Centre for Actuarial Research, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Rob E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Dorrington
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Groenewald
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nojilana
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jané D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Joubert
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matzopoulos
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prinsloo
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nannan
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nomonde
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gwebushe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nontuthuzelo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Somdyala
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nomfuneko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sithole
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Neethling
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicol
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossouw
authors.affiliation: Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends*; D002648:Child; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000208:ethnology / Q000639:trends*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology