J H DiLiberti1, C R Jackson. 1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria 61637, USA. jhd@uic.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study assessed long-term trends in US childhood infectious disease mortality rates (CIDMR). METHODS: We calculated age-adjusted and age group-specific US CIDMR (1968-1996) by using data from the Compressed Mortality File (1968-1992, 1996) and Multiple Cause of Death Files (1993-1995) of the National Center for Health Statistics and English data for historical comparison (1861-1964). RESULTS: US CIDMR declined continuously from 1968 to 1996, although the rate of decline slowed after 1974. Respiratory and central nervous system categories declined most; HIV-related deaths offset these declines somewhat. CONCLUSIONS: CIDMR declined nearly 200-fold between 1861 and 1996, but no substantive improvement occurred after 1986.
OBJECTIVES: This study assessed long-term trends in US childhood infectious disease mortality rates (CIDMR). METHODS: We calculated age-adjusted and age group-specific US CIDMR (1968-1996) by using data from the Compressed Mortality File (1968-1992, 1996) and Multiple Cause of Death Files (1993-1995) of the National Center for Health Statistics and English data for historical comparison (1861-1964). RESULTS: US CIDMR declined continuously from 1968 to 1996, although the rate of decline slowed after 1974. Respiratory and central nervous system categories declined most; HIV-related deaths offset these declines somewhat. CONCLUSIONS: CIDMR declined nearly 200-fold between 1861 and 1996, but no substantive improvement occurred after 1986.
Authors: Philip J Landrigan; Clyde B Schechter; Jeffrey M Lipton; Marianne C Fahs; Joel Schwartz Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2002-07 Impact factor: 9.031