Publication:

Understanding epidemiological transition in urban population of Maharashtra

Background Change in causes of death pattern is a reflection of epidemiological transition in which infectious and parasitic diseases shift to chronic and degenerative diseases of adulthood. Cause of death trend and pattern is important for future health policy planning.

Methods This study attempts to measure mortality trends by different causes of death for urban Maharashtra by using MCCD data for 1990-2010 by calculating proportion of major cause of death to total deaths by age and sex for all these years.

Results Results reveal that there has been shift in the structure of mortality by cause. Diseases of circulatory system were the leading causes of death accounting for about 31% share of all medically certified deaths which is well above the national average of about 30%. Similarly, the proportion of deaths due to certain conditions originating in the perinatal period appears to be low in the state (3.9%) compared to national average (7%). The proportions of deaths due to certain infectious and parasitic diseases and disease of the respiratory system appear to be very high (15.7% and 12.1% respectively) compared to national average (13.1% and 9.5% respectively).

Conclusions It was found that socio-economically developed and demographically advanced urban Maharashtra bears the double burden of disease specific mortality.