Chapter 7: Mortality
The mortality level is one of the main health indicators in a country. In the Lao Census 2005 there was one direct question and sub-questions asked about deaths in the household during the last twelve months. This chapter is based on these questions and on the demographic analysis that has been made.
The questions about mortality were:
Did any deaths occur in the household during the last 12 months?
With a “yes” answer the followed questions were:
Was the deceased a female or male?
How old was the deceased?
Furthermore for women 15-49 years of age and for deaths other than in accidents:
Did she die while pregnant, while giving birth or within 42 days after giving birth?
7.1. Estimated mortality
The demographic analysis instead tells that the number of deaths should be around 55 000 per year making the estimate in agreement with estimates of infant mortality and life expectancy.
The estimate of crude death rate (CDR) number of deaths per 1000 persons by province is illustrated in the figure 7.1. The average for the country is 9.8 per 1000 persons, lowest in Vientiane Capital (6.2 per 1000 person), Vientiane Province ( 7.7 per 1000 person and Xayaboury (7.8) and highest in Oudomxay (14.9) Attapeu (14.4 per 1000 person) and Sekong (14.4 per 1000 person).
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7.2. Infant Motality Rate (IMR) and Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR)
Infant mortality rate is the number of newborn children who die during the first year of life per 1000 live birth. In recent years there has been a drop in infant and child mortality. While at the time of the census in 1995 infant mortality was 104 per 1000 live births, in 2005 it was about 70 per 1000 live births. These estimates derive from reported children ever born and surviving children. Under- 5 mortality rate (the probability of dying between birth and the age of 5 was estimated at 97.6 per 1 000 live births. As a comparison the 2000 reproductive health survey estimated IMR to 82.2 and U5MR to 106.9.
The estimated infant mortality by province in 2005 is shown in figure 7.3 and in the table together with life expectancies. IMR varies a great deal between provinces, with the lowest rate in Vientiane Capital (18) and highest in Sekong (122). Relative levels of mortality are indicated by index R. It will be seen, for example, that Vientiane Capital has 26 percent of the mortality of Lao PDR. Sekong has 183 percent higher mortality than the average for the country.
7.3. Life expectancies
The estimated life expectancies (LE) for females and males for the country and by provinces are shown in the table at next page. In 2005 the LE-estimate was 63 years for women and 59 years for men. In the 1995 census the corresponding estimates were 52 years for women and 50 years for men.
The only possibility of estimating life expectancies is to take advantage of the relationship between infant mortality and the life expectancy at birth. Estimation of this nature involves a degree of uncertainty. Likely the estimated life expectancies derived from estimates of infant mortality are of precision ± 2.5 years2.
7.4. Maternal Mortality
The following table demonstrates estimation of maternal mortality. From the 2005 population census the estimated maternal mortality per 100 000 births was 405. This is an approximate estimate. As a comparison it can be mentioned that the 2000 Reproductive health survey estimated a ratio of 530. The estimated figure for 2005 indicated that maternal mortality has slightly decreased. Maternal mortality higher than 400 per 100 000 births was found more among women aged between 15-39 years, it even was higher among women aged between 30-39 years.
7.5. Summary of mortality estimates
As mortality rates have declined and continue to decline. Life expectancy (LE) has increased by 10 years during the intercensal period. It is estimated to increase another 7 years up to 2015 both for men and women. During the same period infant mortality rate (IMR) and under 5 mortality rate (U5MR) are expected to decrease about 40 percent.
Contents:
- Population Size and structure
- Population Distribution and Migration Household Characteristics
- Education and Literacy
- Activity and Labor Force
- Fertility
- Mortality
- Housing Characteristics
- Population Projections
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