Avoidable mortality

Avoidable mortality refers to deaths among persons less than 75 years of age from either a treatable or preventable cause.

Preventable causes are causes of death that can be avoided by prevention efforts, such as lifestyle changes like reducing smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, or by public health interventions, such as vaccinations and injury prevention programs. The social determinants of health—the social and economic factors that shape the conditions in which people are born, grow up, live and work—also impact health outcomes, including mortality. For more details please see the Opportunity for All Report.

Treatable causes are those causes of deaths that progress from illnesses or conditions that could have been avoided or delayed by screening, early detection, and appropriate treatment.

• by geographic area
• by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas
• by sex

Avoidable mortality by geographic area

Key findings:

• In the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, there were 573 avoidable deaths in 2011.
• The avoidable mortality rate in the SDHU area was 243 deaths per 100,000 population in 2011.
• The SDHU area rate has consistently been similar to the northeastern Ontario rate and higher than the rate for Ontario.
• The SDHU area avoidable mortality rate decreased from 2002 to 2011.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 2006 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Mortality Data and Population Estimates and Projections, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario, Extracted April 2015.

Figure: Annual age-standardized avoidable mortality rate, by geographic area, 2002-2011

Table: Annual age-standardized avoidable mortality rate, by geographic area, 2002-2011

Geographic Region	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
SDHU	294.4	257.1	285.9	227.9	259.8	250.5	259	269.8	253.9	242.7
Northeast	274.6	273.2	288.7	258.8	259.8	258.9	260	259.8	245.1	235.7
Ontario	208	206.1	196.6	196.6	189	189.1	183.4	180	176.8	168.6

Table: Annual number of avoidable mortality cases, by geographic area, 2002-2011

Geographic Region	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
SDHU	610	542	610	490	567	557	586	616	590	573
Northeast	1719	1730	1853	1665	1697	1713	1759	1768	1684	1654
Ontario	23823	24067	23735	23884	23405	23970	23856	24044	24248	23752

Avoidable mortality by Greater Sudbury and outlying areas

Key findings:

• In Greater Sudbury there were 439 avoidable deaths and in the SDHU district office areas there were 134 avoidable deaths in 2011.
• In 2011, the avoidable mortality rate in Greater Sudbury was 281 per 100,000 population and in the SDHU district office areas it was 235 per 100,000 population.
• The rate in Greater Sudbury has decreased from 2002 to 2011, whereas the rate in the SDHU district office areas has fluctuated with no clear trend.
• The rate in Greater Sudbury has generally been lower than the rate in the SDHU district office areas.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 2006 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Mortality Data and Population Estimates and Projections, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario, Extracted April 2015.

Figure: Annual age-standardized avoidable mortality rate, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) District Office areas, 2002-2011

Table: Annual age-standardized avoidable mortality rate, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) district office areas, 2002-2011.

Geographic Region	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
SDHU District Office Area	307.4	258.0	294.6	274.4	315.5	287.5	236.3	282.5	305.3	280.5
Greater Sudbury	291.9	256.9	283.1	217.9	250.1	243.1	266.5	267.1	243.6	234.5

Table: Annual number of avoidable mortality cases, Greater Sudbury vs. Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) district office areas, 2002-2011.

Geographic Region	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
SDHU District Office Area	129	110	130	115	131	126	106	131	140	134
Greater Sudbury	481	432	480	375	436	431	480	485	450	439

Avoidable mortality by sex

Key findings:

• In the SDHU area there were 333 avoidable deaths among males and 240 avoidable deaths among females in 2011.
• In 2011, the avoidable mortality rate was 287 per 100,000 males and 200 per 100,000 females in the SDHU area.
• The rate among males has been consistently higher than the rate among females.
• In the SDHU area, the avoidable mortality rate for males generally decreased between 2002 and 2011 (with some fluctuations), while the rate for females remained relatively stable.

Notes:

• Rates are age-standardized using the 2006 Canadian population.
• Data Source: Mortality Data and Population Estimates and Projections, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH Ontario, Extracted April 2015.

Figure: Annual age-standardized avoidable mortality rate, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2002-2011

Table: Annual age-standardized avoidable mortality rate, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2002-2011

Sex	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Males	379.0	327.5	387.9	280.1	329.5	325.6	335.3	358.1	314.5	286.6
Females	212.2	189.2	187.2	178.2	194.2	180.0	186.4	186.0	195.2	200.3

Table: Annual number of avoidable mortality cases, by sex, Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area, 2002-2011

Sex	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Males	384	338	404	294	350	354	370	399	358	333
Females	226	204	206	196	217	203	216	217	232	240

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This item was last modified on October 16, 2019