Causes of adult deaths in developing countries : a review of data and methods

Relatively little attention has been paid to the problem of premature adult mortality in developing countries, despite high levels of mortality in many countries - and despite the potentially severe social and economic consequences of adult deaths. Circulatory diseases and external causes appear to be major causes of adult deathsin most countries. The relative contribution of other important causes - including tuberculosis, cancer, liver disease, respiratory disease, and maternity related complications varies between countries. Techniques for determining cause specific adult mortality require thorough field testing and validation. The authors discuss several possible approaches, and categorize selected major causes of death according to whether they are likely to be diagnosed or excluded, on the basis of symptoms reported by relatives. They consider methods for classifying and presenting data on cause of death and conclude with recommendations for further methodological research.