Trends in Asthma Mortality in Spain from 1960 to 2005

Background and objective: No data have been published on trends in asthma mortality in Spain between 1960 and 2005. The aim of this study was to trace these trends for both the general population and the 5- to 34-year age group in Spain. Material and methods: The data on asthma mortality for the general population and by age and sex were obtained from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics and used to calculate the asthma mortality rates per 100 000 inhabitants. Results: The overall asthma mortality rate per 100 000 inhabitants was 9.36 in 1960 and 2.22 in 2005, showing a reduction from 12.26 to 0.96 in males and from 6.58 to 3.44 in females. In the 5- to 34-year age group, the mortality rate for both sexes ranged from 0.4 to 0.1, showing great variability over time. Conclusions: Asthma mortality decreased in the period analyzed, but less in women than in men. The trend and rates in Spain are similar to those of most countries for which data are available.