Primary causes of death by subregion and gender in the department of Magdalena (Colombia)

Authors

  • Jorge Homero Wilches Visbal Universidad del Magdalena, Colombia
  • Midian Clara Castillo-Pedraza Universidad del Magdalena, Colombia
  • Oskarly Pérez-Anaya Universidad del Magdalena

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.41.02.159.407

Keywords:

Cause of death, mortality, sex distribution, Caribbean region, Colombia

Abstract

Objective: To establish the top five causes of death and explore differences in mortality rates by cause according to subregion and sex in Magdalena, Colombia, between 2018 and 2021.

Materials and methods: An analytical and retrospective study was conducted. Mortality rate data by municipality were obtained from open data in Colombia (2018-2021). The mean and standard deviation for each cause were calculated by sex and subregion. A one-factor ANOVA (Welch) test was applied to assess significant differences (p < 0.05) in mortality rates by sex and subregion.

Results: The highest mortality rates were from non-communicable diseases, other diseases, neoplasms, communicable diseases, and external causes. The mortality rate in the Northern subregion was significantly higher for all causes (p < 0.001) compared to other subregions. Mortality rates for men were notably higher than for women only in non-communicable diseases (p < 0.001) and external causes (p < 0.001). No significant variations were observed in the annual mortality rate at the departmental level, except for communicable diseases, in 2021.

Conclusion: Communicable diseases are the leading cause of death at the departmental level. The mortality rate in the Northern subregion was significantly higher than in all other subregions. Public health strategies addressing inequalities and specific contextual factors are needed.

Author Biographies

Jorge Homero Wilches Visbal, Universidad del Magdalena, Colombia

Doctor en Ciencias, Universidad de Sao Paulo (Brasil). Magíster en Física Médica,  Instituto  Balseiro  (Argentina). Especialista en Estadística Aplicada, Fundación  Universitaria Los Libertadores (Colombia). Ingeniero Físico, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Profesor, Universidad del Magdalena (Colombia). jwilches@unimagdalena.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3649-5079

Midian Clara Castillo-Pedraza, Universidad del Magdalena, Colombia

Doctora y Magíster en Rehabilitación Oral, Universidad Estadual Paulista (Brasil). Especialista en Estadística Aplicada, Fundación Universitaria Los Libertadores (Colombia). Odontóloga, Universidad del Magdalena (Colombia). Docente, Universidad del Magdalena. midianclar@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3170-3959

Oskarly Pérez-Anaya, Universidad del Magdalena

Biólogo, Universidad del Magdalena (Colombia). Especialista en Edición de Publicaciones, Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia). Magíster en Epidemiología, Universidad del Magdalena (Colombia). Profesor, Universidad del Magdalena. operez@unimagdalena.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0701-7847

Published

2025-06-13

How to Cite

Wilches Visbal, J. H., Castillo-Pedraza, M. C., & Pérez-Anaya, O. . (2025). Primary causes of death by subregion and gender in the department of Magdalena (Colombia). SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL SALUD UNINORTE, 41(2), 580–593. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.41.02.159.407

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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