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Cause-of-Death Explanatory Notes
Complete Cause-of-Death Data Series
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Description
Format of Data Files
Important Notes
List of cause-of-death categories
Complete Data Series
Description
The complete data series includes the following types of data:
 Cause-specific death counts
 Cause-specific death rates
 Cause-specific fraction
The data are indexed by calendar year.
Cause-specific death counts and death rates are computed by applying the cause-specific fraction to the death
counts and death rates series in the HMD.
Fractions of deaths by cause represent the proportion of the overall death rates or the overall death counts
attributable to each cause of death category. Fractions are given as percentages.
Data series are provided for each calendar year starting with ICD-6 (or when high-quality data coded to the ICD
became available) up to the most recent year for which the statistics are available. For a general history of the ICD,
see http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/HistoryOfICD.pdf . For ICD information specific to each country,
see the Background and Documentation file for the country of interest.
Format of Data Files
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Data files are tab-delimited text (ASCII) files.
Cause-specific death counts and death rates files are organized by sex, age, and time.
Fraction of deaths-by-cause files are organized by sex, age, cause, and time.
Data are provided in similar formats of age and time:
- 5 x 1 (by 5-year1 age group and year)
- 5 x 5 (by 5-year1 age group and 5-year time interval)
- 5 x 10 (by 5-year1 age group and 10-year time interval)
Important Notes
1
Five-year age groups means 0, 1-4, 5-9, 10-14, …, 85+ or 110+, depending on the country
There are four PDF files associated to the cause-of-death files for each population. The Cause-of-Death
Background and Documentation file contains basic information regarding the cause-of-death data for that
particular population. The Cause-of-Death Notes file contains specific notes pertaining to individual data points.
The Cause-of-Death Data sources and Cause-of-Death Reference files include a complete list of data sources for
every number in the raw data files, with the latter file also containing codes that link these sources to individual
data points in these files.
The Input Data is not accessible to the public because of confidentiality issues in most countries. For those
countries with open access to the detailed cause-of-death files, information is provided in the Cause-of-Death
Background and Documentation file (URL of web site with data files for instance). Users interested in accessing
the raw data for countries with restricted access are encouraged to contact the institution in charge of disseminating
the cause of death data directly. Contact information for the institution currently in charge of disseminating these
data is provided in the Cause-of-Death Background and Documentation file for each country.
List of cause-of-death categories and associated ICD codes
Cause-of-death categories are not provided at the most detailed level of the International Classification of Diseases
(ICD) but for a shortlist of 93 categories established for the specific purposes of the HMD (Table 1, column 2). For
more general purposes, an alternative grouping is provided for 20 overall categories (Table 1, column 1), loosely
corresponding to ICD Chapters, so that the total number of deaths will be obtained by adding all the deaths
corresponding to the categories in the first column (Group) or all the deaths corresponding to the categories in the
second column (Cause).
Some marginal adjustments have been necessary for countries that have included additional (country-specific)
codes to the ICDs. Details are provided in the Cause-of-Death Background and Documentation file for each
relevant country.
Table 1. List of 93 disease categories and 20 disease groupings with corresponding ICD codes
(6th through 10th Revisions)
Group
Cause
I
ICD-6
ICD-7
ICD-8
ICD-9
ICD-10
code(s)
code(s)
code(s)
code(s)
code(s)
001-138,
001-138,
571, 764
571, 764
001-008,
001-008,
010-019
010-019
Disease(s)
Certain infectious diseases
000-136
001-139
010-019
010-018
A00-B99
A15-A19,
1
Tuberculosis
2
Syphilis
020-029
020-029
090-097
090-097
3
Infectious Gastro-enteritis
571, 764
571, 764
008, 009
008, 009
4
Dysentery
045-048
045-048
004, 006
004, 006
A03, A06
5
Meningococcal infection
057
057
036
036
A39
6
Septicemia
053
053
038
038
A40-A41
7
Viral hepatitis
092
092
070
070
B15-B19
8
HIV-AIDS
--
--
--
042-044
B20-B24
000-003,
001-003,
A00-A02,
9
Other infectious diseases
B90
A50-A53
A04, A08A09
030-044,
030-044,
005, 007,
005, 007,
A05, A07,
049-052,
049-052,
020-035,
020-035,
A20-A38,
054-056,
054-056,
037, 039-
037, 039-
A42-A49,
058-091,
058-091,
068, 071-
041, 045-
A54-B09,
093-138
093-138
089, 098-
066, 071-
B25-B89,
136
088, 098-
B91-B99
139
II
Malignant neoplasm
140-205
140-205
140-209
140-208
C00-C97
10
Lip/oral cavity/pharynx
140-148
140-148
140-149
140-149
C00-C14
11
Esophagus
150
150
150
150
C15
12
Stomach
151
151
151
151
C16
13
Colon
153
153
153
153
C18
14
Rectum
154
154
154
154
C19-C21
15
Liver, gallbladder and bile ducts
155, 156
155, 156
16
Pancreas
157
157
157
157
C25
17
Larynx
161
161
161
161
C32
18
Trachea, bronchus, and lung
162, 163
162, 163
162
162
C33-C34
19
Skin
190
190
172
172
C43
20
Breast
170
170
174
174, 175
C50
21
Cervix uteri
171
171
180
180
C53
22
Other parts of uterus
172-174
172-174
182
179, 182
C54-C55
23
Ovary
175
175
183
183
C56
24
Prostate
177
177
185
185
C61
25
Kidney
180
180
189
189
26
Bladder
181
181
188
188
C67
27
Hodgkin lymphoma
201
201
201
201
C81
28
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
200, 202,
200, 202,
205
205
200, 202
200, 202
C83-C85
155, 197.7,
197.8, 156
155-156
C22-C23,
C24.0
C64-C66,
C68
29
Myeloma
203
203
203
203
30
Leukemia
204
204
204-207
204-208
C90
C90.1, C91C95
C17, C24.1C24.9, C26-
152, 158-
31
Other malignant neoplasms
152, 158-
152, 158-
160, 164-
160, 164-
165, 176,
165, 176,
178-179,
178-179,
191-199
191-199
160, 163171, 173,
181, 184,
186-187,
190-197.6,
197.9-199,
208-209
152, 158160, 163171, 173,
176, 181,
184, 186187, 190199
C31, C37C41, C44C49, C51,
C52, C57C60, C62,
C63, C69C80,C82,
C86-C88,
C90.2, C96C97
III
32
IV
33
V
34
35
36
Other neoplasms
210-239
210-239
210-239
210-239
D00-D48
290-299
290-299
280-289
279-289
D50-D89
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
250-289
250-289
240-279
240-278
E00-E90
Diabetes Mellitus
260
260
250
250
E10-E14
287
287
277
278
E65-E68
Other endocrine, nutritional and metabolic
250-254,
250-254,
240-249,
240-246,
E00-E07,
diseases
270-286,
270-286,
251-276,
251-277
E15-E64,
Diseases of the blood and blood-forming
organs
Overweight, obesity, and other
hyperalimentation
288-289
288-289
278-279
Mental and behavioural disorders
300-326
300-326
290-315
290-319
F00-F99
37
Alcohol abuse (including alcoholic psychosis)
307, 322
307, 322
291, 303
291, 303
F10
38
Drug dependence, toxicomania
323
323
304-305
304-305
300-306,
300-306,
290, 292-
290, 292-
308-321,
308-321,
302, 306-
302, 306-
324-326
324-326
315
319
VI
39
Other mental and behavioural disorders
Diseases of the nervous system and the
VII
sense organs
40
Meningitis (other than meningoccocal and
tuberculous)
E70-E90
F11-F16,
F18-F19
F00-F09, F17,
F20-F99
G00-H95
340-398
340-398
320-389
320-389
(excl. G45.8
and G45.9)
340
340
320
320-322
G00-G03
41
Parkinson's disease
350
350
342
332
G20-G21
42
Alzheimer's disease
--
--
--
331
G30
43
Multiple sclerosis
345
345
340
340
G35
G04-G13,
44
Other diseases of the nervous system and the
341-344,
341-344,
sense organs
351-398
351-398
321-333,
323-330,
341, 343-
333-337,
389
341-389
G23-G26,
G31, G36H95 (excl.
G45.8 and
G45.9)
390-429,
VIII
Heart disease
400-456,
400-456,
440-450
390-429,
I00-I52, I70-
465
465
(except for
440-449
I79
393-398
393-398
I05-I09
444.2)
410-416,
410-416,
421.1
421.1
Acute rheumatic heart diseases
400-402
400-402
390-392
390-392
I00-I02
Arteriosclerotic/ischaemic and degenerative
420
420
410-414
410-414
I20-I25
421-434
421-434
420-429
(except
(except
(except
420-429
I30-I52
421.1)
421.1)
426)
45
Chronic rheumatic heart diseases
46
47
48
Other forms of heart disease
49
Hypertensive heart disease
440-447
440-447
400-404
401-405
I10-I15
50
Artherosclerosis
450
450
440
440
I70
51
Aortic aneurysm
451
451
441
441
I71
442-449
I72-I79
I26-I28
52
53
Other diseases of arteries, arterioles and
capillaries
Pulmonary heart disease and diseases of
442-448
452-456
452-456
(except
444.2)
465
465
426, 450
415-417
Cerebrovascular disease
330-334
330-334
430-438
430-438
54
Cerebral hemorraghe
331
331
431
431, 432
I61-I62
55
Cerebral infarction
332
332
432-434
433, 434,
I65-I66,
437.7
G45.8, G45.9
IX
pulmonary circulation
I60-I69,
G45.8, G45.9
430, 435,
56
Other cerebrovascular diseases
330, 333,
330, 333,
430, 435-
334
334
438
436, 437.0437.6,
437.8-
I60, I63-I64,
I67-I69
437.9, 438
X
57
XI
Other and unspecified disorders of the
460-464,
460-464,
circulatory system
466-468
466-468
240-241,
240-241,
470-527,
470-527,
763
763
480-483
480-483
470-475,
470-475,
500
500
490-493,
490-493,
763
763
Respiratory diseases
58
Influenza
59
Other acute respiratory infections
60
Pneumonia
61
Chronic bronchitis
501-502
62
Asthma
63
Other obstructive pulmonary diseases
64
Other respiratory diseases
451-458
451-459
I80-I99
460-474,
480-486,
490-493,
460-519
J00-J47,
J60-J98, U04
500-519
470-474
487
460-466
460-466
480-486
480-486
J12-J18
501-502
490, 491
490, 491
J40-J42
241
241
493
493
J45-J46
526-527
526-527
492, 518
240, 510-
240, 510-
500-517,
525
525
519
492, 494,
496
470-478,
488, 495,
500-519
J09-J11
J00-J06, J20J22
J43-J44, J47
J30-J39,
J60-J98, U04
XII
Diseases of the digestive system
65
66
67
68
XIII
Peptic ulcer
Gastro-enteritis (non-infectious)
Chronic liver diseases and cirrhosis
70
72
572-587
572-587
444.2
540, 541
540, 541
531-533
543, 572
543, 572
535, 561563
571
530-539,
530-539,
520-530,
542, 544-
542, 544-
534, 536-
570, 573-
570, 573-
560, 564-
580, 582-
580, 582-
570, 572-
587
587
577, 444.2
243-244,
243-244,
690-716
690-716
Infections of skin and subcutaneous tissue
690-698
690-698
Non-infectious diseases of the skin and
243-244,
243-244,
subcutaneous tissue
700-716
700-716
720-749
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis
520-579
K00-K93
531-533
K25-K27
535, 555,
556, 558,
562
K29, K50K52, K57
571
K70, K73-K74
520-530,
K00-K22,
534, 536-
K28, K30-
553, 557,
K46, K53-
560-561,
K56, K58-
563-570,
K67, K71-
572-579
K72, K75-K93
680-709
680-709
L00-L99
680-686
680-686
L00-L08
690-709
690-709
L09-L99
720-749
710-738
710-739
M00-M99
722-723
722-723
712-713
714-715
Other diseases of the musculoskeletal
720-721,
720-721,
710-711,
710-713,
M00-M03,
system/connective tissue
724-749
724-749
714-738
716-739
M08-M13,
Other diseases of the digestive system
system/connective tissue
71
520-577,
581
Diseases of the musculoskeletal
XIV
530-570,
581
Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
69
530-570,
M05-M06,
M15-M19
M20-M99
XV
Diseases of the genitourinary system
590-594,
590-594,
580-584,
600-637,
600-637,
590-629,
792
792
792
580-589,
N00-N08,
590-629
N10-N99
73
Nephritis and nephrosis
590-594
590-594
580-584
580-589
74
Infections of kidney
600
600
590
590
N00-N05,
N17
N10-N12,
N13.6, N15
N06-N08,
N13.0-N13.5,
75
Other diseases of kidney and ureter
601-604
601-604
591-594
591-594
N13.7-N14,
N16, N18N29
76
XVI
77
XVII
78
XVIII
79
80
605-637,
605-637,
595-629,
792
792
792
640-689
640-689
Certain conditions originating in the
760-762,
760-762,
perinatal period
765-776
765-776
Congenital malformations/anomalies
750-759
Other diseases of the genitourinary system
Complications of pregnancy, childbirth and
puerperium
Congenital malformations of the nervous
system
Congenital malformations of the circulatory
system
595-629
N30-N99
630-678
630-676
O00-O99
760-779
760-779
P00-P99
750-759
740-759
740-759
Q00-Q99
750-753
750-753
740-743
740-742
Q00-Q07
754
754
746-747
745-747
Q20-Q28
81
XIX
Other congenital malformations/anomalies
Ill-defined or unknown
744-745,
743-744,
Q10-Q18,
748-759
748-759
Q30-Q99
780-799
R00-R99
755-759
755-759
780-791,
780-791,
780-791,
793-795
793-795
793-796
82
Senility without psychosis
794
794
794
797
R54
83
Sudden infant death syndrom
--
--
--
798.0
R95
84
Unknown and unspecified causes
795
795
795-796
85
Other ill-defined or unknown
780-791,
780-791,
780-791,
793
793
793
242, 245,
242, 245,
E800-E999
E800-E999
XX
External causes
E800-E999
798.1798.9, 799
780-796
E800-E999
R96-R99
R00-R53,
R55-R94
V01-Y98
V02-V04,
V09.0, V09.2,
V12-V14,
V19.0-V19.2,
V19.4-V19.6,
86
Motor vehicle accidents
E810-E835
E810-E835
E810-E823
E810-E819,
V20-V79,
E820-E825
V80.3-V80.5,
V81.0-V81.1,
V82.0-V82.1,
V83-V86,
V87.0-V87.8,
V88.0-V88.8,
V89.0, V89.2
87
Accidental falls
E900-E904
E900-E904
E880-E887
E880-E888
W00-W19
88
Accidental poisoning
E870-E895
E870-E895
E850-E877
E850-E869
X40-X49
V01, V05V06, V09.1,
V09.3-V11,
V15-V18,
V19.3, V19.8-
89
Other accidents
E800-E802,
E800-E802,
E800-E807,
E840-E866,
E840-E866,
E825-E845,
E910-E965
E910-E965
E890-E949
E800-E807,
E826-E848,
E870-E879,
E890-E949
V19.9, V80.0V80.2, V80.6V80.9, V81.2V81.9, V82.2V82.9, V87.9,
V88.9, V89.1,
V89.3-V89.9,
V90-V99,
W20-X39,
X50-X59
90
Suicide
E970-E979
E970-E979
E950-E959
E950-E959
X60-X84
91
Homicide
E980-E985
E980-E985
E960-E969
E960-E969
X85-Y09
92
Events of undetermined intent
--
--
E980-E989
E980-E989
Y10-Y34
93
Other external causes
242, 245,
242, 245,
E970-E979
E970-E979
E990-E999
E990-E999
E990-E999
E990-E999
Y35-Y98