Table 1

Distribution of underlying causes of death according to major categories of diseases (ICD-9) by sex and age at death among people aged 50 years and above at start of follow up, Beirut 1983–1993/4

Cause of death		Men			Women			Total
		Age groups			Age groups			Number		%
		50–64									65–79			80+		50–64		65–79		80+
		Number	%								Number	%		Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
I	Communicable diseases	0	0.0	5	4.6	3	4.7		0	0.0	0	0.0	1	1.4		9	2.2
II	Non-communicable diseases
	Cancer	15	23.8	20	18.3	2	3.1		10	28.6	11	15.5	4	5.5		62	14.9
	Diabetes	1	1.6	9	8.2	1	1.6		1	2.9	2	2.8	1	1.4		15	3.6
	Circulatory diseases (sub-total)	38	60.3	63	57.2	46	71.9		19	54.3	43	60.6	40	54.8		249	59.8
	Ischaemic heart disease	30	47.6	55	50.0	29	45.3		9	25.7	21	29.6	24	32.9		168	40.4
	Cerebrovascular diseases	8	12.7	4	3.6	8	12.5		9	25.7	13	18.3	11	15.1		53	12.7
	Other heart/circulatory diseases	0	0.0	4	3.6	9	14.1		1	2.9	9	12.7	5	6.8		28	6.7
	Respiratory diseases	1	1.6	3	2.7	2	3.1		1	2.9	2	2.8	0	0.0		9	2.2
	Digestive diseases	1	1.6	3	2.7	0	0.0		0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0		4	1.0
	Renal problems	2	3.2	1	0.9	1	1.6		3	8.6	4	5.6	2	2.7		13	3.1
	Senile and ill defined	0	0.0	1	0.9	4	6.3		0	0.0	8	11.3	16	21.9		29	7.0
III	Injuries
	Motor vehicle accidents	1	1.6	2	1.8	0	0.0		1	2.9	0	0.0	0	0.0		4	1.0
	Falls and fractures	0	0.0	1	0.9	4	6.3		0	0.0	0	0.0	9	12.3		14	3.4
	War related injuries	4	6.3	2	1.8	1	1.6		0	0.0	1	1.4	0	0.0		8	1.9

	Total	63	100	110	100	64	100		35	100	71	100	73	100		416	100