COVID VS. NON-COVID AGE-SPECIFIC MORTALITY IN ISLAMABAD: A COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY

Authors

  • Fahad Abbasi Health Services Academy, Islamabad
  • Urooj Aqeel HPSIU - Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Hafiz Muhammad Farhan Aslam HPSIU - Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Maida Umar UNDP, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Nadeem Ahmed Gondal HPSIU - Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Zaeem Zia Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Siham Sikander Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Assad Hafeez Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 the ongoing pandemic. Mortality due to other reasons, other than COVID-19 across age groups reduced which was anecdotally reported from Pakistan. This survey was undertaken to assess the number of deaths recorded in Islamabad from 1st March 2019 to 30th May 2019 and from 1st March 2020 to 30th May 2020 and compare the two estimates by age and gender while documenting the cause of deaths. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in the Islamabad from 11th to 16th June 2020, comprising of secondary data received on age, gender, cause of death and months of death from the both, large private-public hospitals records and graveyards registers. Data was entered in both SPSS and Microsoft Excel and analysed using SPSS 22. Results: The total number of hospitals and graveyards approached in ICT were 14 and 4 respectively. The total number of deaths reported from these during March to June in 2019 and 2020 were 2,389; out of which 1,225 (51.3%) deaths were recorded in 2019 and 1,162 (48.6%) deaths in 2020. In both years, predominant variables with more mortalities were both age and gender between 61-70 years of age 511 (21.4%) 1,395 (58.4%) males respectively. Conclusion: More deaths were reported in males with old age. Cardio vascular diseases and neurological disorders were the leading causes of mortality. Not much of a larger difference in number of deaths between the both years was seen. Scarcity of data and unavailability of evidence make the anecdotal reports mere just a rumour.

Author Biographies

Fahad Abbasi, Health Services Academy, Islamabad

Consultant, Public Health

Urooj Aqeel, HPSIU - Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan

Resaerch Associate, Communicable Diseases & IHR

Hafiz Muhammad Farhan Aslam, HPSIU - Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan

Data Analyst

Maida Umar, UNDP, Islamabad, Pakistan

Data Analyst

Nadeem Ahmed Gondal, HPSIU - Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan

Senior Program Officer

Muhammad Zaeem Zia, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan

District Health Officer, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan

Siham Sikander, Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan

Assistant Professor

Assad Hafeez, Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan

Vice Chancellor

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Published

2021-10-06

How to Cite

Abbasi, F., Aqeel, U., Aslam, H. M. F., Umar, M., Gondal, N. A., Zia, M. Z., … Hafeez, A. (2021). COVID VS. NON-COVID AGE-SPECIFIC MORTALITY IN ISLAMABAD: A COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 33(4), 617–621. Retrieved from https://jamc.ayubmed.edu.pk/index.php/jamc/article/view/8508

Issue

Vol. 33 No. 4 (2021): Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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