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A network approach to studying cause-of-death interrelations

Author

Listed:
  • Viviana Egidi

    (Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza)

  • Michele Antonio Salvatore

    (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT))

  • Giulia Rivellini

    (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

  • Silvia D'Angelo

    (Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza)

Abstract

Background: Multiple causes of death describe complex death processes marked by the simultaneous presence of several diseases and conditions, primarily at older ages. Objective: We intend to explore the opportunity offered by the Social Network Analysis (SNA) in the study of multiple relationships in the causes of death. Methods: SNA allowed us to reconstruct the complex system of relationships linking the causes of death mentioned in the same death certificate for Italian men and women aged 65 years and over in 2011. The causes can be represented as actors of a network where the relational tie establishes a linkage between a cause mentioned together with another. The strength of this association is represented by the frequency of the joint mentioning in the same certificate controlling for the confounding effect due to the different prevalence of the causes. Results: The analysis clearly brought out that causes of death describe a very dense system of relationships. Considering only the strongest associations, the graphical analysis showed subgroups of causes, within which cross-references are very frequent while mentions external to the group are rare. Moreover, SNA concepts and instruments allowed us to identify causes playing important roles in death processes and mortality patterns. Conclusions: SNA has proved to be very powerful in identifying the relationships between causes of death, on which health policies should take action to further reduce mortality risks of elderly persons. Contribution: The method was able to highlight complex structures composing subgroups of diseases, offering a clearer picture of the characteristics of death processes than the analyses conducted so far have allowed.

Suggested Citation

  • Viviana Egidi & Michele Antonio Salvatore & Giulia Rivellini & Silvia D'Angelo, 2018. "A network approach to studying cause-of-death interrelations," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(16), pages 373-400.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:38:y:2018:i:16
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2018.38.16
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aline Désesquelles & Elena Demuru & Marilena Pappagallo & Luisa Frova & France Meslé & Viviana Egidi, 2015. "After the epidemiologic transition: a reassessment of mortality from infectious diseases among over-65s in France and Italy," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 60(8), pages 961-967, December.
    2. Aline F. Désesquelles & Michele Antonio Salvatore & Marilena Pappagallo & Luisa Frova & Monica Pace & France Meslé & Viviana Egidi, 2012. "Analysing Multiple Causes of Death: Which Methods For Which Data? An Application to the Cancer-Related Mortality in France and Italy [Analyse des causes multiples de décès: quelles méthodes pour qu," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 28(4), pages 467-498, November.
    3. Wing, S. & Manton, K.G., 1981. "A multiple cause of death analysis of hypertension-related mortality in North Carolina, 1968-1977," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 71(8), pages 823-830.
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    5. Aline Désesquelles & Michele Antonio Salvatore & Luisa Frova & Monica Pace & Marilena Pappagallo & France Meslé & Viviana Egidi, 2010. "Revisiting the mortality of France and Italy with the multiple-cause-of-death approach," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 23(28), pages 771-806.
    6. Giulia Rivellini & Ester Rizzi & Susanna Zaccarin, 2006. "The science network in Italian population research: An analysis according to the social network perspective," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 67(3), pages 407-418, June.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    multiple causes of death; social network analysis; mortality; elderly;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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