Trend of ill-defined causes of death in Egypt (2000-2013) in comparison to selected Eastern Mediterranean Countries

Abstract

Introduction: The morbidity statistics are considered more adequate to understand the health and disease process in the population, especially the incidence measures, as they reflect the dynamics of diseases/health injuries. it is one of the most valuable sources of information in PH, being useful for the assessment of the population health status, allowing the identification of higher-risk groups andmore important causes of death. Objectives: Identify the trend of ill-defined death rates in Egypt from 2000 to 2013; compare ill-defined causes of death for Egypt 2013 with KSA and Kuwait the same year. Methods: Secondary data; Egypt cause-specific mortality data as well as the data from other countries of Eastern Mediterranean region for the years 2000-2013.The ill-defined causes, and the level over time will be presented and  compared with other countries. The ill-defined causes of death are defined as; deaths coded symptoms, signs and event of undetermined intent from the ICD-10. Results: Percentage of ill-defined causes of deaths (COD) in Egypt ranges 47 to 49 % during the period of 2000—2013. By conducting analytical study of Egypt mortality data 2013 we found that deaths diagnosed as symptoms and signs is 23 % followed by the mode of dying heart failure in 10%, higher rates among age groups 20-59 and 60+. There is a significant relationship between percentage of ill-defined causes of death and years; p value < 0.01 (95% CI: 0.986, 0.987). Ill-defined COD, 2013 in KSA and Kuwait are 11% and 2.5% respectively compared to 47% in Egypt with statistical  significant relationship p value < 0.01 (95% CI: 0.56, 0.57). Conclusion and    Recommendation: Egypt is one of the countries regularly report mortality data  using ICD-10 coding system to WHO heath statistics department since 2000, with high level of completeness up to 100% however the data is of low usability due high percentage of garbage codes up to 50%Egypt, mortality data, ill-defined causes of death.