Sep 7, 2011 - What are top three causes of deaths in Abu Dhabi? ... Top 3 Causes of Death for Nationals, Abu ... Dhabi (
Mortality (Death) Rate in Abu Dhabi
Created by: Health Authority – Abu Dhabi Surveillance Section September 7, 2011
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What is mortality rate? Mortality rate is the annual number of deaths divided by total population of that year. It is expressed as either deaths per 1000 or 100,000 people in the population (WHO, 2010). How is the mortality rate measured? Mortality can be measured in several ways. However, the most common ways are: • • •
Age-specific death rate: The number of deaths in a particular age group during a given year per 1000 people in the population in the same age group Cause specific death rate: The number of deaths from a specified cause per 1000 people in the population Age-adjusted death rate: The age-specific rates for the population adjusted to reflect a standard population. This enables the comparison of death rates between populations with different age distributions.
Why do we use mortality rate? Mortality rate is a useful indictor for assessing the impact of deaths on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, individual lifestyle behaviors, socioeconomic status, and availability of public health programs aimed to reduce mortality rates. What is the current mortality rate in the Abu Dhabi? In 2010, the mortality rate in Abu Dhabi was 1.26 deaths per 1000 people in the population. Table 1: Crude Mortality rate, Abu Dhabi 2010:
National population Expatriate population Total population
2010 ADE Deaths (%)
Rate per 1000 of population
967 (34) 1888 (66) 2879 (100)
2.66 0.98 1.26
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What are top three causes of deaths in Abu Dhabi? Cardiovascular disease, cancer and preventable injuries such as road traffic injury have been the most common causes of death among Nationals and expatriates for the last three years.
80 60 40 20 0
Diseases of the circulatory system
2008
Cancer
2009
Injuries
Top 3 Causes of Death for Expatriates, Abu Dhabi 2008 -2010 Crude Rate per 100,000
Crude Rate per 100,000
Top 3 Causes of Death for Nationals, Abu Dhabi 2008 - 2010
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Diseases of the circulatory system
2010
2008
Cancer
2009
Injuries
2010
How does Abu Dhabi compare with other countries? Mortality rates in Abu Dhabi have decreased from 1.4 to 1.3 from 2008 to 2010; and it is lower than in Singapore in 2010. Table 3: Crude Death Rates of Abu Dhabi (2008 - 2010) and Other Countries:
Countries
Crude Death Rate per 1000
Abu Dhabi - 2008 Abu Dhabi - 2009 Abu Dhabi - 2010
1.4 1.5 1.3
US - 2008 Singapore - 2010 Saudi Arabia - 2009 Omani – 2009 Bahrain - 2008
8.1 4.3 3.9 3.0 2.2
What can be done to reduce mortality rates in Abu Dhabi? Everyone has to die some time, but many deaths occur prematurely. The majority of premature deaths can be prevented by improving the quality of the social, economic, physical and legal environment and promoting good quality of life.
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Healthcare facilities can: • • •
Notify HAAD of all death events occurring at their facility with accurate detailed diagnosis. Establish awareness programs in hospital and local community to promote safety in the road, healthy lifestyle and eating habits. Promote population-based Interventions programs such as (early detection and screening for cancers, use seatbelt, breastfeeding, and enhanced school-based physical education).
Healthcare professionals can: • •
Encourage their patients to maintain good health and well being by practicing the actions below. Encourage their patients to undergo preventive practices such as screening and vaccination.
Members of the public can: •
•
Have regular health checks. There are three health related numbers that everyone should know: blood pressure, cholesterol (total, LDL and HDL) and blood sugar. For more information on your health, visit Health Authority Abu Dhabi Website (http://www.haad.ae/). Practice health promoting behaviors: quit smoking, eat a variety of nutritious foods, be physically active, wear seatbelt while driving, ensure passengers wear seatbelts or are in child car safety seats, drive safely, manage your stress, get enough sleep, have good social relations with friends and family, get vaccinated, have regular health screenings and be sure to have some fun in life.
References: 1. HAAD Standards for Notifying Vital Statistics and Communicable Diseases in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (Reference: PHP/PH/S/03) 2. World Health Organization. (2010). World Health Statistics Report. Accessed August 16, 2010 http://www.who.int/research/en/
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