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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the mortality trends by gender and cause of death in children and adolescents resident in Tuscany Region (Central Italy).
DESIGN: descriptive study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: all deaths occurred in children and adolescents resident in Tuscany Region in the period 1987-2010, registered by the Tuscan regional mortality registry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: infant, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality per 1,000 life births (annual and three-year moving average mortality rates); mortality rates by gender and age classes per 100,000; death relative risks (RR) in males compared with females by age and cause of death, and 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS: the total number of deaths considered is 6,202 (3,804 in males and 2,398 in females). Infant mortality halved from 1995 up to 2010 due to the reduction of neonatal mortality. Mortality trends by following age classes has been reducing since 1987 till 2010. The vast majority of deaths occurred in males. Excesses in relative risks of death are observed in males compared to females in all age classes (RR 1.53; 95%CI 1.46-1.62), during the first year of life (RR 1.17; 95%CI 1.07-1.28), after 10 years old (age class 10-14: RR 1.35; 95%CI 1.13-1.60 - age class 15-19: RR 2.94; 95%CI 2.64-3.28), and for all cancers, psychiatric disorders, nervous system and circulatory diseases, perinatal causes and accidents.
CONCLUSION: there are still possibilities to further reduce mortality of children and adolescents, even not so much, especially deaths caused by accidents. Mortality differences between male and female children and adolescents, observed even without considering accidents, still warrant investigation.
Language: it |