As the world continues to find ways to improve public health, the analysis of mortality data stands as a key instrument in deciphering the health trends and challenges faced by societies globally. The past year has brought forth a wealth of insights derived from mortality data, it’s time to celebrate the success of mortality data that has happened as we enter 2024!
The Pandemic:
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began its global onslaught in 2019, continued to shape mortality patterns in 2023. Mortality data revealed the dynamic nature of the pandemic, with fluctuations in death rates corresponding to waves of infection and the emergence of new variants. The World Health Organization reports mortality data for the pandemic annually, and this past year they have revealed major inconsistencies in mortality reporting resulting in underestimation of the severity of the pandemic in certain regions. The data brought awareness to regions not receiving adequate resources and services because of flawed mortality reporting. Mortality data continues to aid in the fight against Covid-19 in 2024 and continuing to mitigate the disease across the globe.
Non-Communicable Diseases:
Beyond infectious diseases, mortality data emphasized the ongoing significance of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as leading causes of death. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and respiratory conditions continued to exert a substantial toll on global mortality. A 2023 report has revealed that around 75 percent of global deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases. Additionally these deaths disproportionately affect low income regions The data underscored the need for sustained efforts in preventive healthcare, lifestyle interventions, and early detection to address the burden of NCDs.
Mental Health:
The year 2023 shed light on the profound impact of mental health on mortality. Mortality data revealed increased rates of suicide and deaths related to mental health conditions, drawing attention to the importance of mental health services and the need to destigmatize mental health issues. Integrating mental health into holistic healthcare strategies emerged as a critical imperative.
Environmental Health:Mortality data also drew attention to the intersection of environmental factors and health outcomes. The impact of air pollution, climate-related events, and other environmental stressors on mortality rates became more apparent. Mortality data has revealed that the increased severity of extreme temperatures due to climate change has already begun to increase mortality rates and mortality rates will simply continue to rise without proper intervention. This emphasized the interconnectedness of environmental health and public health, calling for sustainable practices and policies to address environmental determinants of health.
References:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05522-2
https://ncdalliance.org/sites/default/files/resource_files/T20_Report_2023.09.07.pdf
