Analysis of causes of mortality in a tertiary care hospital according to the tenth revision, International Classification of Diseases

Background: The statistics on causes of mortality are essential for planners, administrators and medical professionals in undertaking appropriate curative and preventive measures for various health problems. Aims: To evaluate the causes of death as per the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD 10) amongst patients who died in Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH). Materials and Methods: A facility based retrospective analysis of death records was done as per ICD 10 in JMCH, Assam, from January 2020 to December 2020. Results: A total of 2373 deaths occurred in JMCH during the study period, and amongst them, 67.4% were males. Majority 17.8% of deaths were in the age group of below 1 year and the least 0.5% were in the age group of 1–4 years. The first leading cause of medically certified deaths was diseases of the circulatory system (I00 I99) 16.9%, followed by symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00 R99) 14.9%. In the diseases of the circulatory system, death due to hypertensive diseases was the most common cause at 46.6%. Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period group were the leading cause of mortality, 79.9% in < 1 year and 27.3% in 1–4 year age group of children. While diseases of the circulatory system group were the leading cause of mortality, 24.1% in 45–54 years, 29.5% in 55–64 years, 26.2% in 65–69 years and 29.2% in more than 70 years. Conclusion: Our findings on various causes of death will help decision makers in formulating operational and strategic plans and making decisions.