Evolution of the quality of registration of underlying causes of death in Ecuador (1997–2024) and its impact on the epidemiological profile of mortality
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54753/rsh.v2i1.2662Keywords:
mortality, causes of death, espidemiology, public health, EcuadorAbstract
The quality of cause of death registration is an essential component of public health information systems, as it determines the epidemiological usefulness of mortality statistics and their application in health planning. The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of the quality of cause-of-death registration in Ecuador between 1997 and 2024 and to assess its impact on the epidemiological profile of mortality. An observational, descriptive, and ecological study was conducted based on the analysis of secondary mortality data provided by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses. Data were consolidated into three periods (1997–2005, 2006–2015, and 2016–2024) and classified using the Becker short list, evaluating the proportion of well-defined and ill-defined causes of death and the ten leading causes of mortality in each period. During the study period, a total of 1,889,287 deaths were registered. The proportion of ill-defined causes decreased progressively from 12.8% in the first period to 4.73% in the last period, indicating a sustained improvement in the quality of death registration. Concurrently, the epidemiological profile of mortality showed an increasing predominance of non-communicable diseases, particularly ischemic heart diseases, diabetes mellitus, and cerebrovascular diseases. In conclusion, the improvement in the quality of cause-of-death registration enabled a more accurate characterization of the epidemiological profile of mortality in Ecuador, strengthening epidemiological surveillance, health planning, and evidence-based public policy formulation.References
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