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. 2009 Jun 19:2.
doi: 10.3402/gha.v2i0.1904.

Epidemiological transition in rural Bangladesh, 1986-2006

Zunaid Ahsan Karar  1 , Nurul Alam, Peter Kim Streatfield
Affiliations

Epidemiological transition in rural Bangladesh, 1986-2006

Zunaid Ahsan Karar et al. Glob Health Action. .

Abstract

Background: For understanding epidemiological transition, Health and Demographic Surveillance System plays an important role in developing and resource-constraint setup where accurate information on vital events (e.g. births, deaths) and cause of death is not available.

Methods: This study aimed to assess existing level and trend of causes of 18,917 deaths in Matlab, a rural area of Bangladesh, during 1986-2006 and to project future scenarios for selected major causes of death.

Results: The results demonstrated that Matlab experienced a massive change in the mortality profile from acute, infectious, and parasitic diseases to non-communicable, degenerative, and chronic diseases during the last 20 years. It also showed that over the period 1986-2006, age-standardized mortality rate (for both sexes) due to diarrhea and dysentery reduced by 86%, respiratory infections by 79%, except for tuberculosis which increased by 173%. On the other hand, during the same period, mortality due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases increased by a massive 3,527% and malignant neoplasms by 495%, whereas mortality due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and injury remained in the similar level (12-13% increase).

Conclusion: The trend of selected causes of death demonstrates that in next two decades, deaths due to communicable diseases will decline substantially and the mortality due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will increase at massive proportions. Despite Matlab's significant advances in socio-demographic indicators, emergence of NCDs and mortality associated with it would be the major cause for concern in the coming years.

Keywords: Bangladesh; Matlab; cause of death; epidemiological transition; mortality; verbal autopsy.

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Figures

<i>Fig. 1.</i>
Fig. 1.
Change in broad causes of death for both sexes in Matlab Government service area, 1986–2006.
<i>Fig. 2.</i>
Fig. 2.
Deaths due to major communicable diseases, Matlab Government service area, 1986–2006.
<i>Fig. 3.</i>
Fig. 3.
Deaths due to major non-communicable diseases, Matlab Government service area, 1986–2006.
<i>Fig. 4.</i>
Fig. 4.
Deaths due to accident/injury, Matlab Government service area, 1986–2006.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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