Winter Mortality Rates (Hansard, 13 April 1999)

§ Mr. Paul Murphy

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Statistics and Research Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Edgar Jardine. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Table 1: Death due to the effects of reduced temperature by ICD code
Deaths due to the effects of reduced temperature	1977	1982	1987	1992	1997
ICD code 991.6—hypothermia	0	17	15	14	22
ICD code 991.9—unspecified	0	0	4	0	0
ICD code 991—sub-code not specified (excluding 991.6 and 991.9)	14	0	0	0	2
ICD code 991—all deaths due to the effects of reduced temperature	14	17	19	14	24

In response to part (2) of your question Table 3 shows the winter and non-winter mortality rates as requested and the percentage increase from non-winter to winter mortality rates in each of the categories.

I trust this information is sufficient, however if I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Table 2: Deaths due to the effects of reduced temperature¹
Number of deaths
Deaths by age	1977	1982	1987	1992	1997
Main cause
0 to 59 years	13	2	1	3	4
60 to 74 years	l	6	1	1	3
75 to 84 years	0	5	1	3	3
85 or more years	0	4	0	1	1
All ages	14	17	3	8	11

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Letter from E. F. Jardine to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 2 April 1999:

You tabled a parliamentary question asking the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland—

(1) how many deaths where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate as the main or contributory cause of death took place in Northern Ireland in (a) 1997, (b) 1992, (c) 1987, (d) 1982 and (e) 1977 amongst those (i) of all ages, (ii) aged 60 to 74, (iii) aged 74 to 84 and (iv) aged over 85 years; and
(2) what were the winter mortality rates for (a) the population as a whole, (b) people aged 60 to 74, (c) people aged 75 to 84 and (d) people aged over 85 years; and what the percentage increase was in each age group compared to non-winter deaths in (i) 1997/98, (ii) 1992/93, (iii) 1987/88, (iv) 1982/83 and (v) 1977/78, respectively.

Deaths are classified by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes.

In answer to part (1) of your question Table I shows the number of deaths occurring in Northern Ireland, in each of the years specified, where hypothermia (ICD code 991.6) was either the main cause or a contributory cause of death. In 1977, there were no deaths attributed to hypothermia, but as the table shows, 14 deaths were attributed to ICD code 991 which covers all deaths due to the effects of reduced temperature. Consequently the detailed information requested on hypothermia has been produced for deaths due to the effects of reduced temperature, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Deaths due to the effects of reduced temperature¹
Number of deaths
Deaths by age	1977	1982	1987	1992	1997
Contributory cause
0 to 59 years	0	0	6	0	8
60 to 74 years	0	0	3	2	2
75 to 84 years	0	0	4	4	2
85 or more years	0	0	3	0	1
All ages	0	0	16	6	13
All causes
0 to 59 years	13	2	7	3	12
60 to 74 years	1	6	4	3	5
75 to 84 years	0	5	5	7	5
85 or more years	0	4	3	1	2
All ages	14	17	19	14	24
¹Deaths shown have been coded as ICD code 991—Deaths due to effects of reduced temperature

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Table 3: A comparison of winter and non-winter mortality rates (all causes)
Rates per 1,000 population
Year^1,2
Mortality rates	1977–78	1982–83	1987–88	1992–93	1997–98^3.4
Winter mortality
0 to 59 years	2.9	2.4	2.0	1.6	1.5
60 to 74 years	36.2	34.4	31.6	25.9	22.8
75 to 84 years	104.8	102.0	91.1	77.6	74.9
85 or more years	252.5	246.8	233.9	189.0	208.4
All ages	12.2	12.0	11.2	9.7	9.7
Non winter mortality
0 to 59 years	2.6	2.1	2.0	1.6	1.5
60 to 74 years	29.3	29.0	26.6	25.1	20.7
75 to 84 years	85.8	80.8	74.6	73.2	65.3
85 or more years	195.5	172.9	192.6	182.2	178.3
All ages	10.1	9.7	9.6	9.4	8.7
Percentage increase from non winter to winter rates⁵
0 to 59 years	11	14	2	—0	—1
60 to 74 years	24	19	19	3	10
75 to 84 years	22	26	22	6	15
85 or more years	29	43	21	4	17
All ages	21	24	17	4	12
¹Year incorporates December of year 1 and January to November of year 2. For example, 1997–98 incorporates December of 1997 and January to November of 1998.
² Winter months assumed to be December—March.
³1998 deaths figures are provisional.
⁴1998 population projection used as denominator for rate calculation as 1998 mid-year population estimate will not be available until June of 1999.
⁵ The rounded percentages shown have been calculated using unrounded rates.