TABLE 22
TWELVE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH
BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1993-1997 and 1998
| |
1993-1997 |
1998 |
| Cause of Death (ICD9 Code) |
Number |
Rank |
ASMR |
Rank |
Number |
Rank |
ASMR |
Rank |
| Cancers (malignant neoplasms) (140-208) |
35,289 |
1 |
17.01 |
1 |
7,449 |
1 |
16.46 |
1 |
| Heart disease* (391-398, 402, 404, 410-429) |
34,566 |
2 |
16.21 |
2 |
6,988 |
2 |
14.69 |
2 |
| Cerebrovascular disease (430-438) |
10,762 |
3 |
5.00 |
3 |
2,298 |
3 |
4.75 |
3 |
| Accidents** (E800-E949, E970-E978, E990-E999) |
7,742 |
4 |
3.97 |
4 |
1,516 |
4 |
3.55 |
4 |
| Pneumonia (480-486) |
5,770 |
5 |
2.66 |
5 |
1,290 |
5 |
2.64 |
5 |
| Chronic pulmonary disease (491-492, 496) |
5,338 |
6 |
2.49 |
6 |
1,100 |
6 |
2.33 |
6 |
| Alzheimer's disease and senile dementias (290, 298.9, 331.0) |
3,310 |
7 |
1.51 |
7 |
809 |
7 |
1.64 |
7 |
| Diabetes (250) |
2,751 |
9 |
1.30 |
10 |
617 |
8 |
1.33 |
8 |
| Diseases of arteries (440-448) |
2,811 |
8 |
1.32 |
8 |
581 |
9 |
1.22 |
9 |
| Suicide (E950-E959) |
2,516 |
10 |
1.31 |
9 |
419 |
10 |
0.99 |
10 |
| Kidney disease (580-593) |
1,492 |
12 |
0.70 |
12 |
357 |
11 |
0.75 |
11 |
| Chronic liver disease (571, 572.8, 572.9, 573.0) |
1,578 |
11 |
0.78 |
11 |
316 |
12 |
0.71 |
12 |
| Other |
18,356 |
|
8.96 |
|
4,050 |
|
8.94 |
|
| TOTAL (All Causes of Death ) |
132,281 |
|
63.23 |
|
27,790 |
|
60.02 |
|
Note:Leading causes of death relate to categories most often queried at the Vital Statistics Agency.
ASMR - Age Standardized Mortality Rate per 10,000 standard population.
The number of deaths in 1998 determined the order in which the causes of death are presented in the table.
* Excludes ICD9 392.9 code.
** Excludes suicide, homicide and deaths undetermined whether accidental or intentional.
Non-residents and gender unknown are excluded.
FIGURE 15
TWELVE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH
BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1998
HIGHLIGHTS TO TABLE 22/FIGURE 15
- The twelve leading causes of death for British Columbia presented in this table are based on the categories most frequently queried at the Vital Statistics Agency. There were no significant changes in the table this year. The Age Standardized Mortality Rate (ASMR) per 10,000 standardized population for all causes of death for 1998 was 60.02, which was lower than the 1993-1997 ASMR of 63.23.
- Based on the number of deaths, there was no change in the twelve leading causes of death for 1998 compared to 1997, or for the five-year period 1993-1997 compared to 1992-1996. Even the rankings have remained relatively unchanged. Since 1993, cancers have been the leading cause of death of B.C. residents, followed by heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, accidents, and pneumonia.
- More than one in four deaths (26.8%) in the province in 1998 was due to cancer. There were 7,449 cancer deaths. The ASMR for cancer in 1998 was 16.46 deaths per 10,000 standard population, slightly lower than the five year (1993-1997) ASMR of 17.01. For deaths due to sub-categories of cancers, please refer to the Information Box, Deaths due to Cancers (Malignant Neoplasms) by Gender.
- Heart disease was the second leading cause of death in 1998, accounting for more than one quarter (25.1%) of all deaths (6,988) with an ASMR of 14.69, a decrease from the rate of 16.21 for the 1993-1997 period. Until 1993, heart disease was the number one cause of death in the province (as shown in previous Annual Reports).
- The third leading cause of death was cerebrovascular disease (2,298 deaths) causing one in twelve deaths (8.3%). The 1998 ASMR for cerebrovascular disease (4.75) was slightly below the 1993-1997 ASMR (5.00).
- One in eighteen deaths (5.5%) in 1998 was due to an accident (1,516), the fourth leading cause of death in the province. The 1998 ASMR of 3.55 was lower than the 1993-1997 ASMR (3.97).
- Pneumonia deaths (1,290) accounted for approximately one in twenty-two deaths (4.6%) in 1998. The 1998 ASMR for this fifth leading cause of death (2.64) remained relatively unchanged from the 1993-1997 ASMR (2.66).
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