Title: [Excess mortality in an inner-city area: the case of Ciutat Vella in Barcelona]

POPLINE Document Number: 075655

Author(s):

Borrell i Thio C
Plasencia i Taradach A
Panella i Noguera H

Source citation:

GACETA SANITARIA, 1991 Nov-Dec;5(27):243-53.

Abstract:

The historic district of Ciutat Vella, 1 of 10 municipal districts of Barcelona, has an aging population with bad socioeconomic indicators and higher mortality compared with the rest of the city. Crude death rates, and age- sex- and cause-specific mortality data of this district derived from the Barcelona Statistical Bulletin of Deaths were compared with the whole of Barcelona for the period of 1983-87. The causes of death were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision. Perinatal deaths were obtained from the Statistical Bulletin of Births and Abortions. Premature death was measured by the method of potential years of life lost between the ages of 1-70 (YPLL) and the direct method of Comparative Mortality Figure (CMF). There were 8541 deaths in the district (16.9/1000) out of 78,664 in Barcelona (9.2/1000). In Ciutat Vella life expectancy was 73.4 years compared with 77.1 in Barcelona; and infant mortality was 15.6/1000 live births compared with 9 in Barcelona. The principal causes of death in both locations were cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic heart disease in both sexes; malignant tumors of the trachea, bronchi, and lungs in men. In women cirrhosis caused most deaths in the district and malignant breast cancer in Barcelona. Compared with the values of 100 each in Barcelona. In Ciutat Vella The CMF was 129 (95% confidence interval: 126.2-131.8), and the YPLL ratio was 182.1 (95% confidence interval: 173.1-191.8). There were 2 1/2 times more deaths in the district in the age groups 1-4, 25-34 and 35-44. Avoidable deaths amounted to 9.5% in Ciutat Vella compared with 8.2% in Barcelona.

Keywords:

Comparative Studies
Spain
Urban Population
Differential Mortality
Excess Mortality
Infant Mortality
Life Expectancy
Mortality Determinants
Arterial Occlusive Diseases
Heart Diseases
Neoplasms
Breast Cancer
Liver Cirrhosis
Causes of Death
Death Rate
Studies
Research Methodology
Developed Countries
Europe, Southwestern
Europe
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Mortality
Population Dynamics
Length of Life
Vascular Diseases
Diseases
Cancer