Can Med Assoc J. 1974 Mar 16;110(6):679-81.

The use of mortality data in setting priorities for disease prevention.

Canadian Medical Association journal

H N Colburn, P M Baker

PMID: 4817214 PMCID: PMC1947322
Free PMC Article

Abstract

The examination of specific disease mortality by five-year age groups helps identify health problems as problems of people and how they live. Traditional methods of examining data in broad classifications tend to obscure etiological factors and the importance of behaviour. Violence, a major cause of death in young adults, gives way to so-called diseases of indulgence in middle age, especially among men who have a much higher death rate than women. Male life expectancy at age 40 has increased only marginally in the past 40 years. Health-related human behaviour must be considered within an ecological framework since social, cultural and physical environmental differences as well as personal factors influence life-style. The responsibility for prevention rests more with the individual and society at large than with health workers. Probability tables, Health Hazard Appraisal (a system of personal risk assessment) and personal counselling can reinforce healthful life-styles and help correct hazardous ones.

Cited by

References

1. Can Med Assoc J. 1973 Feb 3;108(3):388-91 passim - PubMed
2. Can J Public Health. 1973 Sep-Oct;64(5):490-2 - PubMed

MeSH terms

• Accidents, Traffic
• Adult
• Age Factors
• Aged
• Behavior
• Coronary Disease / mortality
• Environment
• Female
• Humans
• Life Expectancy
• Life Style
• Lung Neoplasms / mortality
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Mortality*
• Public Health*
• Respiratory Tract Diseases / mortality
• Smoking / complications

Publication Types

• Journal Article

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources
  • Europe PubMed Central
  • PubMed Central
• Miscellaneous
  • NCI CPTAC Assay Portal