Transitions in Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei City: Trends, Patterns, and Contribution to Improvement of Life Expectancy

Jiaying Zhao, Australian National University
Zhongwei Zhao, Australian National University
Jow Ching Tu, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Gui Xiang Song, Shanghai CDC

Life expectancy has improved rapidly in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Taipei City during the past 3 decades. The main purpose of this paper is to understand the role of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) mortality in epidemiologic transition shifting from the third stage “The age of degenerative and man-made diseases” to the fourth stage “The age of delayed degenerative diseases” in the three cities. The paper systematically compares the trends and patterns in age-specific mortality due to CVD over time in the three cities. Using decomposition analysis, we examine the contribution of the decline of CVD mortality to increase in life expectancy. Finally, the pattern of CVD mortality will be assessed based on multiple cause-of-deaths. The analysis based on multiple cause-of-death can provide more information of decline in burden of CVD.