Mortality Rates
The crude mortality rate is calculated by dividing the number of deaths by the population at risk during a certain time frame and then multiplying a factor (typically 100,000). . As a true rate, it estimates the risk of dying overall or from a certain disease in a given year.
It is computed with the following equation:
Frequently Used Measures of Mortality
Measure Numerator Denominator Per: 10n
Crude death rate Total number of deaths during a given time interval Mid-interval population 1,000 or
100,000
Cause-specific death rate Number of deaths assigned to a specific cause during a given time interval Mid-interval population 100,000
Proportionate mortality Number of deaths assigned to a specific cause during a given time interval Total number of deaths from all causes during the same time interval 100 or 1,000
Death-to-case ratio Number of deaths assigned to a specific cause during a given time interval Number of new cases of same disease reported during the same time interval 100
Infant mortality rate Number of deaths among children
< 1 year of age during a given time interval Number of live births during the same time interval 1,000
Maternal mortality rate Number of deaths assigned to pregnancy-related causes during a given time interval Number of live births during the same time interval 1,000
Activity 1
Overall and Cause-Specific Crude Mortality Rates
1. Compute mortality rates in the U.S. for the following conditions in the year 2020 Compute the rate as per 100,000 people
# Deaths Midpoint population Rate per 100,000
Crude Mortality Rate 3,383,729 325,500,000 1,027.00 deaths per 100,000 people
Cause-specific mortality rate
Heart Disease 696,962
Cancer 602,350
Covid-19 350,831
Accidents 200,955
Stroke 160,264
Influenza/Pneumonia 53,544
Diabetes 102,188
Suicide 45,759
2. Compute mortality rates in the U.S. for the following conditions in the year 2018
Compute the rate as per 100,000 people at risk.
# Deaths Midpoint population Rate per 100,000
Crude Mortality Rate 2,839,205 326,800,000 deaths per 100,000 people
Mortality rate from:
Heart Disease 655,381
Cancer 599,274
Covid-19 n/a
Accidents 167,127
Stroke 147,810
Influenza/Pneumonia 59,120
Diabetes 84,946
Suicide 48,344
Compute the proportionate mortality for diseases in the U.S. in 2020
Total Deaths in U.S. in 2020: 3,383,729 Total Deaths from condition Computation Proportion of deaths due to that cause
Condition
Heart Disease 696,962 696962/3383729 .2056 or 20%
Cancer 602,350
Covid-19 350,831
Accidents 200,955
Stroke 160,264
Influenza/Pneumonia 53,544
Diabetes 102,188
Suicide 45,759
3. Compare and contrast these numbers:
• What were the three top causes of death in 2018? In 2020?
• Did the overall crude mortality rate increase or decrease from 2018 to 2020? What do you attribute this to?