Matzopoulos R, Prinsloo M, Pillay-van Wyk V, Gwebushe N, Mathews S, Martin LJ, Laubscher R, Abrahams N, Msemburi W, Lombard C, Bradshaw D. Injury-related mortality in South Africa: a retrospective descriptive study of postmortem investigations.
Bull World Health Organ 2015;
93:303-13. [PMID:
26229201 PMCID:
PMC4431514 DOI:
10.2471/blt.14.145771]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To investigate injury-related mortality in South Africa using a nationally representative sample and compare the results with previous estimates.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of medico-legal postmortem investigation data from mortuaries using a multistage random sample, stratified by urban and non-urban areas and mortuary size. We calculated age-specific and age-standardized mortality rates for external causes of death.
FINDINGS
Postmortem reports revealed 52,493 injury-related deaths in 2009 (95% confidence interval, CI: 46,930-58,057). Almost half (25,499) were intentionally inflicted. Age-standardized mortality rates per 100,000 population were as follows: all injuries: 109.0 (95% CI: 97.1-121.0); homicide 38.4 (95% CI: 33.8-43.0; suicide 13.4 (95% CI: 11.6-15.2) and road-traffic injury 36.1 (95% CI: 30.9-41.3). Using postmortem reports, we found more than three times as many deaths from homicide and road-traffic injury than had been recorded by vital registration for this period. The homicide rate was similar to the estimate for South Africa from a global analysis, but road-traffic and suicide rates were almost fourfold higher.
CONCLUSION
This is the first nationally representative sample of injury-related mortality in South Africa. It provides more accurate estimates and cause-specific profiles that are not available from other sources.
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