Browsing by Author "Timaeus, Ian M"

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    Unabated rise in number of adult deaths in South Africa
    (2004) Bradshaw, Debbie; Laubscher, Ria; Dorrington, Rob; Bourne, David E; Timaeus, Ian M
    Mortality statistics are a fundamental cornerstone of the health status data needed for planning and monitoring the impact of health programmes. In developed countries, such data are generated through the death registration system, dating back to the 19th century in the case of the UK and Sweden. Until recently, South Africa’s death registration system was recognised as inadequate to provide such statistics for the majority of the population,1 but the postApartheid government has prioritised the collection of such statistics, as evidenced by a new-found collaboration between the Departments of Health and Home Affairs and Statistics South Africa.2 Registration of adult deaths improved from about 50% in 1990 to over 90% in 20003 as a result of the incorporation of the former homelands as well as national efforts to improve coverage. However, the production of timely cause of death statistics remains a challenge; the most recent year with full officially published statistics is 1996.