1957 - United Nations Statistics Division

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about by public-health measures, such as health education
and mass X-rays for detection, and by the discovery
and introduction of new drugs and surgery for improved
patient care.
Cancer (malignant neoplasms)
Just as infective and parasitic diseases show declines
in the 66 countries for which data are available, deaths
from cancer and other malignant neoplasms show increases
in all but 11 of the 66. Moreover, except for Iceland,
these 11 areas which show decreases are areas where
cause-of-death statistics may be said to be rather unreliable.
Increases in the cancer death rate have varied from an
annual average of 0.1 per 100,000 population in Finland
to 16.9 in Belgium and 18.2 in Yugoslavia's registration
area. Increases are universal, being found equally in
South America, Central America, Asia, Europe, and
Oceania.
Progress in diagnosis may account for some of the increase,
but it would appear dubious that such universality
of increase could be ascribed wholly to this factor.
It has been suggested that since cancer is a disease of "old"
age, the increase might be attributable to the increment
in the numbers of persons surviving to older ages, having
escaped death from infectious and other diseases now
coming under control. However, it may be noted that if
no other factors were involved, the age-specific rates
should not have changed simply from the presence of
these survivors in the population. Actually, age-specific
rates for the last few years present a mixed picture, with
decided differences for males and females and increases of
some magnitude appearing at virtually all ages - but
especially at ages over 70.
Heart disease
Increases in rates for heart disease have been widespread
but not quite so universal as those for cancer
mortality. Of the 66 areas for which 5-year trend data are
available, increased rates are observed in all but 16.
Absolute increases ranged from 0.2 per 100,000 per year
to 21.2 and 21.4, the last two being recorded in Austria
and Yugoslavia respectively. Relatively, these amount to
rises in the rate of almost 25% for Austria and over 40%
for Yugoslavia. As a consequence of increases such as
these over the past five years, rates for this cause in 1956
ranged roughly from 200 to 400 per 100,000 in Western
European countries, North America, and Oceania.
Influenza and pneumonia
On the whole, these causes of death have shown decreases
during the past five years, due primarily - it is
assumed - to the antibiotic control established in this
area. Still, 18 countries out of 66 showed increased rates
in the period.
12
Congenital malformations
While this cause of death is not one of the principal
factors in the declining death rate - neither because of
the number of lives it claims nor the changes in the rate
- nevertheless it is interesting to note the mixed situation
in its pattern. During the period under review (roughly
1952-1956), 27 areas showed decreases in the death rate
for congenital malformations, while 30 showed increases.
Both decreases and increases were of very small size, the
1956 rates themselves ranging from 2.0 per 100,000 in
Ceylon to 22.3 in Malta and being highest in Europe.
Moreover, these may be the result of increased medical
certification of death. Nonetheless, changes in this cause
of death may be of interest in view of possible correlation
with exposure to radiation.
Accidents
Accident - and especially motor-vehicle-accident ­
death rates have increased during 1952-1956 among the
countries for which data are available. Increases are observed
in the rates for motor-vehicle accidents in 36 out
of 52 areas and in 31 for all types of accidents (including
motor vehicle) . Annual increases up to 20% are observed,
though the majority are in the neighbourhood of 10%.
Luxembourg records the highest death rate from motorvehicle
accidents - a rate of 28.5 per 100,000 population.
This is followed by rates of 23.5 for Australia, 23.4 for the
United States, and 23.3 for West Germany. Canada,
Austria, and Aden Colony have rates in the 20's, while
other countries have smaller rates ranging to a low of 2.2
in Malta. It should be noted that all of these rates may
well be minimum because, in many cases, they may not
include deaths from all sequelae of motor-vehicle
accidents.
Suicide
The suicide death rate is subject to particularly wide
geographic variation, ranging from a low of 0.1 per
100,000 in Egypt, to 24.2 in Japan, and to 34.3 in West
Berlin. High rates, such as the last two which are over
200 times the lowest, are found also in Austria (22.8),
Denmark (22.5), Finland (22.4), and Switzerland (21.6).
Rates are below 5 per 100,000 in Northern Ireland, China
(Taiwan) , and countries of Latin America. These crude
rates do not, of course, take account of the age-sex composition
of the population, suicides being about 3 times
more prevalent among males than females and the highest
rates occurring at ages 45 and over. Moreover, they tend
to be understated because of the tendency to underreport
suicide as a cause of death.
The death rate from suicide has not decreased notably
during the past decade. Out of 50 countries for which
data are available, 32 show increases, 14 show decreases,
and 4 show no change. Increases are widespread geographically
but are of the order of less than 1 per 100,000
per year.