Show group It is likely that the large and significant differences in mortality from motor vehicle accidents and other accidents may be explained at least in part to differential alcohol consumption between LDS and non-LDS Previous reports have indicated that alcohol is involved in 39 of all fatal accidents in the United States Mothers Against Drunk Driving Centers for Disease Control and Prevention In addition in Ontario Canada 2000 approximately 30 of all deaths from accidents caused by fire 30 of all accidental drowning 30 of all suicides 40 of all deaths due to fatal accidental falls and 60 of all homicides are attributed to alcohol Statistics Canada 1994 Similar findings have been reported using data from North Carolina during 19731983 Smith et al 1989 itis difficult however to validate this supposition with these data since the ICD-9 injury codes do not havedistinct category for alcohol-related injuries In order to fully understand the similarities and differences in mortality patterns between the LDS and non-LDS groups it is important to consider all the information found in Tables 2-4 For example among those aged 20-39 suicide is the leading cause of death for LDS males accounting for 24 of total deaths in this group but itis the second leading cause of death in the non-LDS group accounting for 18 of the total deaths However composition of the mortality rates reveal that the non-LDS rate is5 times greater than the LDS rate which is statistically Therefore while suicide hadsignificant higher ranking and accounts forlarger proportion of LDS deaths in this age group nonLDS men actually have50 higher mortality rate than LDS men in this age group Finally although we are not experts in health education or disease prevention it seems possible that recognizing the differences and similarities in the leading causes of deaths for the LDS and non-LDS groups could provide useful direction to health officials in targeting campaigns Take diabetes as an example While there are no significant differences for either men or women between the LDS and nonLDS groups with respect to rates per 100 000 diabetes consistently accounts forlarger percent of deaths in the LDS group than in the non-LDS Given that there is higher proportion of LDS in the state this information indicates that LDS individuals contribute more to the burden of diabetes in the state that non-LDS If there are limited funds for diabetes prevention efforts then this information may prove useful in appropriately targeting efforts where they will be most beneficial In general it appears that the major causes of death for non-LDS groups are similar for both males and females yet the non-LDS group has significantly higher mortality rates for these causes The combination of these two facts would lead to longer life expectancies for LDS males and females as observed previously Enstrom 1978 Layton and Hilton 2000 previous study has quantified the lower burden of cancer in LDS versus non-LDS Merrill Lyon and Lindsay 1999 However the current study extends this comparison between religious groups to several other leading causes of death This larger picture clearly emphasizes that the lower burden of death among LDS reaches conditions beyond the tobacco-related Differences in alcohol consumption and perhaps other lifestyle behaviors suchdiet and social support likely playrole as well The description of death profile among LDS and nonLDS in Utah should provideclearer picture of the burden of disease in the State 43 Digital image 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah Al rights reserved |