Mortality Data • Types and importance of mortality data• Graphical method for the accuracy of

demographic data

Mortality mean “deaths” and in all the life sciences, it relates with the number of deaths of human persons in a specific area/ region.

Mortality

Mortality rate is a measure of the number of deaths (in general, or due to a specific cause) in some population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit time. Mortality rate is typically expressed in units of deaths per 1000 individuals per year; thus, a mortality rate of 9.5 in a population of 100,000 would mean 950 deaths per year in that entire population.

Mortality Rate

9.5/1000=0.0095 So in the population of100000 persons, Mortality Rate= 0.0095x100000= 950

Cont.

In regard to the success or failure of medical treatment or procedures, one would also distinguish:◦ Early Mortality Rate: the total number of

deaths in the early stages of an ongoing treatment, or in the period immediately following an acute treatment.

◦ Late Mortality Rate: the total number of deaths in the late stages of an ongoing treatment, or a significant length of time after an acute treatment.

Cont.

The mortality rate should not be considered similar to morbidity rate, which refers to the number of individuals in poor health during a given time period (the prevalence rate) or the number who currently have that disease (the incidence rate), scaled to the size of the population.

Morbidity Rate

One can distinguish the mortality rate into the following types:1) Crude Death Rate2) Maternal Mortality Rate3) Infant Mortality Rate4) Child Mortality Rate5) Standardized Mortality Rate6) Age-specific Mortality Rate

Types of Mortality Rate

The crude death rate is the total number of deaths per year per 1000 people.

As of July 2009 the crude death rate for the whole world is about 8.37 per 1000 per year. (according to the current CIA World Fact book)

1. Crude Death Rate

It is important to note that the crude death rate as defined above and applied to a whole population can give a misleading impression. The crude death rate depends on the age and gender distribution of the population. The number of deaths per 1000 people can be higher for developed nations than in less developed countries, despite the life expectancy being higher in developed countries due to standards of health being better. This happens because developed countries typically have a completely different population age distribution, with a much higher proportion of older people, due to both lower recent birth rates and lower mortality rates.

1. Crude Death Rate Cont.

So for a more complete picture of mortality can be represented by a life table which shows the mortality rate separately for each age. A life table is necessary to give a good estimate of life expectancy.

1. Crude Death Rate Cont.

The maternal mortality rate is the number of maternal deaths due to childbearing per 100,000 live births.

2. Maternal Mortality Rate

The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of children less than 1 year old per 1000 live births.

3. Infant Mortality Rate

The child mortality rate is the number of deaths of children less than 5 years old per 1000 live births.

4. Child Mortality Rate

The standardized mortality rate (SMR) represents a proportional comparison to the numbers of deaths that would have been expected if the population had been of a standard composition in terms of age, gender, etc.

5. Standardized Mortality Rate (SMR) or (SDR)

The age-specific mortality rate (ASMR) refers to the total number of deaths per year per 1000 people of a given age (e.g. age 62 last birthday).

6. Age-specific Mortality Rate (ASMR)

An actuary should be especially skilled in mortality analysis for:1. Estimating the ways in which contingent

liabilities currently contracted as in life insurance or pension business etc.

2. Allowing the institution accepting the contract by charging appropriate premiums.

3. Analyzing health data for health reforms and future decisions.

Importance of Mortality Analysis

The planning does not deal with the contract affecting a single individual but deal with group predictions.

It is important to note that the fluctuations are inherent in natural experience of this kind.

Cont.

Graphical method for the accuracy of demographic data

The age-sex distribution of a population can be most clearly presented in a graphical form known as “population pyramid”

Fig. 2.1 pp.18 (Pollard) Fig. 2.2 pp. 18 (Pollard)

Population pyramids