1. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Presentation by the Epidemiology and Burden of Disease Team of the World Health Organization at the United Nations Expert Group Meeting to Review the United Nations Demographic Yearbook, New York, 10-14 November 2003

2. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO is constitutionally mandated to establish and maintain statistical services and to provide information in the field of health

3. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy The Epidemiology and Burden of Disease Team in WHO is responsible for the collection of cause-of-death statistics from its 192 Member States

4. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO Regional Offices AFRO (Brazzaville) AMRO (Washington, D.C.) EMRO (Cairo) EURO (Copenhagen) SEARO (New Delhi) WPRO (Manila)

5. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO regions The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. © WHO 2003. All rights reserved

6. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO collects cause-of-death data in collaboration with its regional offices based on agreement by contacting some Member States directly

7. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO regions The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. © WHO 2003. All rights reserved

8. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Cause-of-death data are reported by year, sex, age and cause of death to WHO Causes of death are coded according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD)

9. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy The WHO Mortality Database contains data since 1950 by ICD-6/7 ICD-8 ICD-9 (around 40 Member States) ICD-10 (71 Member States)

10. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Cause of death codes ICD -9: about 5 100 ICD-10: about 10 000

11. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Training in coding underlying cause of death is provided by WHO collaborating centres WHO - PAHO/AMRO through computer-based applications in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese (InterCod)

12. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy File specifications for reporting cause-of-death data: Field WidthField Width Country44 yr7 Year25-9 yr7 Format general1 10-14 yr7 Format infant115-19 yr7 ICD classification3…... Cause of death4 (ICD codes)…... Sex1 (1 male, 2 female, 9 unk) …… Blank380-84 yr7 All ages785-89 yr7 0 day790-94 yr7 1-6 days795 yr+7 7-27 days7Unk7 28-365 days7 0 yr7 1 yr7 2 yr7 3 yr7 Age format: 0 (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-9, 10-14,…..,80-84, 85-89, 90-94, 95+, unk 1 (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-9, 10-14,…..,80-84, 85+,, unk 2 (0, 1-4, 5-9, 10-14,…..,80-84, 85+,, unk

13. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy (1) Developed countries include all countries in WHO European Region, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand (2)Excluding developed countries

14. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Coverage of Death Registration Mortality data (1995 onwards) by cause available in WHO The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. © WHO 2003. All rights reserved

15. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Leading Causes of Death, estimates for 1990 and 2000 Source: Murray and Lopez, 1996; WHR, 2001 19902000 Numbers (millions) % of total deaths Numbers (millions) % of total death s Ischaemic heart disease6.312.4Ischaemic heart disease6.9 12.4 Cerebrovascular disease4.48.7Cerebrovascular disease5.1 9.2 Lower respiratory infections4.38.5Lower respiratory infections3.9 6.9 Diarrhoeal diseases2.95.8HIV/AIDS2.9 5.3 Perinatal conditions2.44.8C.O.P.D.2.5 4.5 C.O.P.D.2.24.4Perinatal conditions2.4 4.4 Tuberculosis2.03.9Diarrhoeal diseases2.1 3.8 Measles1.12.1Tuberculosis1.7 3.0 Road traffic accidents1.02.0Road traffic accidents1.3 2.3 Lung cancer0.91.9Lung cancer1.2 2.2

16. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy Dissemination of the WHO Mortality Database WHO web site (http://www.who.int) WHO Regional Offices web sites

17. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO-EURO collaborates with EUROSTAT with the collection of cause-of-death data for the Central and Eastern European countries design of a questionnaire for hospital data

18. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO-UN Statistical Division(UNSD) Cause-of-death data are provided regularly to the UNSD for publication in the Demographic Yearbook UNSD provides WHO with vital statistics

19. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO-UN Statistical Division Cause-of-death data are published in the Demographic Yearbook since 1951

20. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy WHO-UN Statistical Division To improve communication To collaborate on questionnaires related to mortality information

21. Global Programme on Evidence for Health Policy In accordance with the stated priorities of the new Director-General of WHO, Dr J.W. Lee to assist WHO Member States to collect mortality data, WHO needs to work with UNSD to create the infrastructure and to provide the necessary tools and instruments to achieve this goal.