Usefulness of death certificates in Colombia when evaluating the causes of death from endometrial cáncer

Abstract

Objective. Examine the direct causes of death from endometrial cancer according to data from death certificates in 2008. Equipment and Method. The study examined the direct cause of death in patients whose official cause of death was a malignant endometrial tumour (C54.1) according to death registration data from the Departamento Nacional de Estadística de Colombia (The National Department of Statistics in Colombia) in 2008. The study assessed the distribution by direct cause of death, age, level of education, marital status, social security and place of death. Results. 157 deaths were registered. The main direct causes of death were respiratory failure in 38 cases (24.2%), endometrial adenocarcinoma in 29 cases (18.4%), multiple organ failure in 26 cases (16.5%) and 16 cases of cardiac, respiratory arrest (10.1%). Conclusions. Inaccuracies were found in the death registers in Colombia where information was not filled out correctly. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD), as well the information in this study, must be taken in account in order to improve the accuracy of the death registers.