Long-Term Trends in Childhood Infectious Disease Mortality Rates.
DiLiberti, John H. MD, PhD; Jackson, Cynthia R. DO
[Miscellaneous Article] American Journal of Public Health. Global Health. 89(12):1883-1885, December 1999.

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Objectives. This study assessed long-term trends in US childhood infectious disease mortality rates (CIDMR).

Methods. We calculated age-adjusted and age group-specific US CIDMR (1968-1996) by using data from the Compressed Mortality File (1968-1992, 1996) and Multiple Cause of Death Files (1993-1995) of the National Center for Health Statistics and English data for historical comparison (1861-1964).

Results. US CIDMR declined continuously from 1968 to 1996, although the rate of decline slowed after 1974. Respiratory and central nervous system categories declined most; HIV-related deaths offset these declines somewhat.

Conclusions. CIDMR declined nearly 200-fold between 1861 and 1996, but no substantive improvement occurred after 1986.

Copyright (C) 1999 by the American Public Health Association, Inc.