Geographical variation of mortality in Thailand.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine geographical variation of mortality in Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Descriptive ecological study using the national vital registration data in 2000, age-specific mortality rate and cause-specific standardized mortality ratio (SMR) were presented at district geographic level. RESULTS: Overall mortality was highly concentrated in the middle part of the upper north, as well as mortality of the working age. Clustering of cause-specific SMR in a single region was found for liver cancer (in the upper northeast region) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (in the upper north region). Clustering in multiple regions was found for renal failure (in the upper north and the upper northeast regions). Dispersed pattern of mortality with no regional clustering was found for leukemia. The geographical pattern of cause-specific mortality might be explained by distribution of incidence and related risk factors. CONCLUSION: Geographical variation of mortality exists and should be used as a target for reducing mortality gap across geographical areas.