Statistics of gastro-enteritis mortality in Venezuela
Curiel, D.; De Ochoa, E.
Bulletin of the World Health Organization 21: 353-361
1959
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-9686 PMID: 13813338 Document Number: 522070
Gastro-enteritis constituted the chief cause of death in Venezuela during the period 1950-54 in both urban and rural areas, being responsible for an annual death-rate of 166 per 100 000 inhabitants, but was a particularly acute problem in localities with under 5000 inhabitants, where only one in every three fatal cases received medical care before death. Although the disease is not a very important cause of neo-natal mortality, nearly 90% of gastro-enteritis deaths occur among children between 4 weeks and 5 years of age. There is some seasonal variation, with relatively low mortality values in the first and last four months of the year and an appreciable rise in the intermediary period.An analysis is made of all death certificates in 1953 on which death was attributed to a cause interpreted as being gastro-enteritis (totalling over 7000), and it is thought that, despite the variable terminology used, the same disease is in fact referred to in the great majority of certificates. The authors suggest measures for ensuring the comparability of gastro-enteritis statistics in the circumstances prevailing in Venezuela.