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  • Title: Mortality due to intestinal infectious diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1965-1990.
    Journal: Epidemiol Bull; 1991; 12(3):1-6. PubMed ID: 1931515.
    Abstract:
    Life expectancy has increased in Latin America and the nonLatin Caribbean (LA/CA) from 51.8-66.6 years and 56.4-72.4 years between 1950-1955 and 1985-1990 respectively. Reduction in mortality due to infectious and parasitic diseases had the most significant effect on this rise in life expectancy. Indeed since the actual number of intestinal infection related deaths did fall while the populations grew considerably, there was a true reduced risk of death from these infections. Improved nutrition, potable water and waste disposal availability, immunizations, and safer food handling directly impacted on this reduction while the downward trend of the birth rate, increased literacy (especially among women), and mass media indirectly prompted the decline. Nevertheless these improvements have not yet reached the levels of the US and Canada during 1965-1970 (.07/1000) and have not been equitably divided among the different population groups. Indeed the technology existed 2 decades earlier to achieve zero deaths from diarrhea, yet deaths rates in LA/CA continued to range from .17-9.83/1000 during 1985-1990. Costa Rica and Chile experienced more of a decline in mortality from intestinal infections than most other countries. For example, the number of deaths fell about 90% for about the entire population and 93% and 95% respectively for children 5 years old. Even though there was a 95% reduction in the number of deaths for 5 year old children in Chile, the 64% reduction in Mexico resulted in more lives saved (355 vs. 529). Further data analysis showed that the death rate for 5 old children was the most valid indicator to analyze changes in mortality from intestinal infections. Over the 25 year period the countries with the least reduction in death rates from diarrhea included Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
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