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Usefulness of mortality data in determining the geography and time trends of dementia
Christopher N Martyn, E C Pippard. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 1988-06-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Fewer than 25% of people diagnosed during life as being demented were found to have this diagnosis coded as the underlying cause of death. In a sample of deaths certified as due to dementia the majority were found to have occurred in long-stay institutions. This distorts the geographical pattern of mortality because the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) considers these institutions to be the patient's usual address six months after his admission. Analysis of all certified deaths from dementia during 1968-78 by place of residence shows that areas with a significantly high SMR usually contain a large psychiatric hospital. Changes in diagnostic fashion and in the procedure by which OPCS selects the underlying cause of death have also affected numbers of deaths coded as dementia. Death certificate data are unlikely to be useful in examining either geographical variation or time trends in rates of dementia.
Key findings
- Analysis of all certified deaths from dementia during 1968-78 by place of residence shows that areas with a significantly high SMR usually contain a large psychiatric hospital.
Why it matters
This study found that fewer than 25% of people diagnosed with dementia during life had dementia coded as the underlying cause of death, and that death certificate data are unlikely to be useful for examining geographical variation or time trends in dementia rates. It does not test a dementia treatment or prevention, so it cannot show how to cure or prevent dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 39/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health: journal h-index 263 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1988 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 86 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.1 citations a year over 40 year(s) since 1988 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author E C Pippard: h-index 11 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Southampton: institution h-index 938 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 3146614) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1136/jech.42.2.134
- PubMed: 3146614
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Martyn, C. N., & Pippard, E. C. (1988). Usefulness of mortality data in determining the geography and time trends of dementia. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.42.2.134
Vancouver
Martyn CN, Pippard EC. Usefulness of mortality data in determining the geography and time trends of dementia. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. 1988. doi:10.1136/jech.42.2.134. PMID: 3146614.
BibTeX
@article{martyn1988-3146614,
author = {Martyn, Christopher N and Pippard, E C},
title = {{Usefulness of mortality data in determining the geography and time trends of dementia}},
journal = {Journal of Epidemiology \& Community Health},
year = {1988},
doi = {10.1136/jech.42.2.134},
pmid = {3146614},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.42.2.134}
}
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