Determinants of Mortality

There are several determinants of mortality, or factors that

affect mortality rates such as per capita income, life expectancy, nutritional
status and medical advancement etc.
10 important determinants of Mortality
Income level/Employment status:
 Positive association between income level and the life expectancy.
 Low-income people live shorter lives than high- income people in a
given country.
Nutritional status:
• Malnutrition has been recognized as the one of the killer of the children.
Epidemics:

Injuries
• Globally around 9% of total death are responsible for the injuries.
Personal behaviors:
Diet, hygiene, alcohol and tobacco use, sexual behavior, etc.
 Environmental exposures: Exposure to infectious or chemical or
physical agents, occupational hazards, etc.
 Nutrition: Under nutrition, micronutrient deficiency, over
nutrition/obesity etc. Injuries: Intentional or accidental injuries.
 Personal illness control: Specific preventive and sickness care
actions.
Education:
• The importance of women’s education is likely a result of the fact that
as primary care takers, they are most likely to implement the health of
the fact that as primary care takers, they are most likely to implement
the healthy behaviors that can improve their children’s health for
example they will smoke less.
• Education makes healthy life style, utilization of available health
services, proper decision making, health seeking behavior etc.
Women empowerment and employment:
• Women and girls are at increased risk of violence related death due
to lack of empowerment and marginalization resulting from exclusion
from social and economic policies.
Availability, access and utilization of health service:
• Easy access to the health care delivery system and proper utilization
of the health services has increased the life expectancy.
• Unavailability of health services, delay at the health facility, lack of
essential drugs, inadequate equipment, lack of trained human
resources, lack of appropriate technology, lack of transportation has
been underlined with the cause of death. Health delivery is often of
low quality in both public and private sectors. Absenteeism among
medical staff is often a problem particularly in rural areas.
Environment and sanitation:
• Environmental pollution is harming both human and plant life.
• Air pollution is positively associated with total mortality e.g. lung
cancer.
• In developing countries like Nepal open defecation, consumption
of polluted water is taking the life of the individuals.
Cultural factors:
• Traditional beliefs about health and disease, religious values, role
and status of women etc. Ecological setting, political economy,
transportation and communication systems, agricultural
development, markets, urbanization, etc