DEATHS

Percentage of medically certified deaths increased in 2016

A total of 162,201 deaths were recorded in 2016, an increase of 4.1 per cent as compared to 2015 (155,786). The number of medically certified deaths in 2016 was 85,637 (52.8%), an increase of 1.0 percentage points as compared to 80,691 in 2015 (51.8%).

PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF DEATH

Ischaemic heart diseases was the principal cause of death in 2016

Ischaemic heart diseases was the principal cause of death in 2016 of 13.2 per cent, followed by pneumonia (12.5%), cerebrovascular diseases (6.9%), transport accidents (5.4%) and malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus & lung (2.2%).

Male deaths due to transport accidents increased 0.4 percentage points

In 2016, deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases recorded the highest percentage for males of 15.3 per cent, followed by pneumonia (11.5%), transport accidents (7.5%), cerebrovascular diseases (6.4%) and malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus & lung (2.4%).

Out of these five principal causes of death, only the deaths due to transport accidents showed an increase i.e. 0.4 percentage points as compared to 2015 (7.1%).

Female deaths due to malignant neoplasm of breast increased 0.4 percentage points

Deaths due to pneumonia recorded the highest percentage for females in 2016 of 14.0 per cent, followed by ischaemic heart diseases (9.9%), cerebrovascular diseases (7.6%), malignant neoplasm of breast (3.8%) and transport accidents (2.2%).

Out of these five principal causes of death, only the deaths due to malignant neoplasm of breast showed an increase i.e. 0.4 percentage points as compared to 2015 (3.4%).

PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF INFANT DEATHS

77 percent of infant deaths were contributed by five principal causes of death

In 2016, 77.0 per cent of infant deaths were due to five principal causes of death which include certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (41.9%); congenital malformations, deformations & chromosomal abnormalities (30.5%); pneumonia (3.0%); chronic lower respiratory disease (0.9%); and meningitis (0.7%).

PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF UNDER FIVE DEATHS

Deaths due to certain conditions originating in the perinatal period recorded the highest percentage for infants and toddlers aged below five years

In 2016, deaths due to certain conditions originating in the perinatal period recorded the highest percentage for infants and toddlers aged below five years at 35.0 per cent, followed by congenital malformations, deformations & chromosomal abnormalities (27.2%), pneumonia (3.8%), transport accidents (1.8%) and accidental drowning & submersion (1.1%).

PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF MATERNAL DEATHS

Deaths due to obstetric embolism recorded the highest percentage for maternal deaths in 2016

In 2016, deaths due to obstetric embolism recorded the highest percentage for maternal deaths (23.0%), followed by other maternal diseases classifiable elsewhere but complicating pregnancy, childbirth & the puerperium (18.2%), postpartum haemorrhage (11.5%), ectopic pregnancy (6.8%) and eclampsia (6.1%).

However, the percentage of deaths due to obstetric embolism in 2016 recorded a decline as compared to 2015 from 27.4 to 23.0 per cent.

Released By:

THE OFFICE OF CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
31 October 2017

Contact person:
Ho Mei Kei
Public Relation Officer
Corporate and User Services Division
Department of Statistics, Malaysia
Tel : +603-8885 7942
Fax : +603-8888 9248
Email : mkho[at]stats.gov.my