Alsaleh, K., Al-Saleh, M., Al-Azmi, S., Alfares, I., Alnashi, B., Al-Agmy, F. (2009). Analysis of the Underlying and Multiple Causes of Death for the Kuwaiti Population 40 years and Over in Kuwait; Part I: Demographics. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 39(2), 253-265. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2009.20754
Kamel A. Alsaleh; Mesa Al-Saleh; Saadoun Al-Azmi; Ibtesam Alfares; Bader Alnashi; Fahad Al-Agmy. "Analysis of the Underlying and Multiple Causes of Death for the Kuwaiti Population 40 years and Over in Kuwait; Part I: Demographics". Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 39, 2, 2009, 253-265. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2009.20754
Alsaleh, K., Al-Saleh, M., Al-Azmi, S., Alfares, I., Alnashi, B., Al-Agmy, F. (2009). 'Analysis of the Underlying and Multiple Causes of Death for the Kuwaiti Population 40 years and Over in Kuwait; Part I: Demographics', Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 39(2), pp. 253-265. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2009.20754
Alsaleh, K., Al-Saleh, M., Al-Azmi, S., Alfares, I., Alnashi, B., Al-Agmy, F. Analysis of the Underlying and Multiple Causes of Death for the Kuwaiti Population 40 years and Over in Kuwait; Part I: Demographics. Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 2009; 39(2): 253-265. doi: 10.21608/jhiph.2009.20754
Analysis of the Underlying and Multiple Causes of Death for the Kuwaiti Population 40 years and Over in Kuwait; Part I: Demographics
1Department of Medical Records, College of Health Sciences, The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, State of Kuwait
2Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, State of Kuwait
3Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, State of Kuwait
Abstract
Background: Improved health care brought about major changes in mortality pattern; life expectancy has increased and the causes of death are more likely to result from chronic diseases, death rarely result from a single cause and the use of the underlying cause of death (UCD) will overlook many of the contributing diseases that are highlighted by multiple cause of death (MCD) analysis. Objective: The paper addresses the demographic and non-clinical variables related to the number of causes recorded in the death certificates notification (DCN). Methods: All the DCN for the Kuwaiti population, 40 years or over for the period 1993-2001 were compiled and all the causes up to five additional causes were recorded. A total of 13960 cases (7966 males and 5994 females), reported in the period 1993-2001, were analyzed. The causes of death were provided according to the WHO ICD9. Results: A single cause (UCD) was reported in 5.6% of the cases, 27.1% had 3 causes and 12.5% had 6 causes. The mean number of causes amounted to 3.64 and 3.8 for the males and females. Variability according to the year was not marked. Those dying in the hospitals had a relatively higher mean number of causes compared to those dying in other places, and this was common to the 2 gender groups. A rising trend was seen with age; with the males the 60-, 70- or 80+ age groups had higher mean number of causes compared to the younger groups. With females the means for the 60- and 70- groups were relatively higher than the other groups, the group 40+ was having lower means compared to the other groups and this was common to the 2 gender groups, particularly with the males. Conclusion: The UCD alone was reported for less than 7% of the causes of death among the Kuwaiti population 40 years or over. Use of multiple cause of death will add a lot of useful information that can be used to highlight several disease conditions not shown by the UCD.