Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand.

  • New Zealand. Department of Health.
Date:
[1976]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/112 (page 17)
    malignant neoplasm taken as a group, which decreased a little during the 25-year period. For diabetes mellitus and for cerebrovascular dis¬ ease, rates show a small upward movement. On the other hand, the rates for active rheumatic fever and chronic rheumatic heart disease decreased steadily from 13.9 in 1950-54 to 6 in 1970-74. Other forms of heart disease and hypertension, which include coronary heart disease, are the principal cause of death listed in the table. Although the rates for coronary heart disease have risen in recent years, this reflects in part a change in terminology as well as a true increase in incidence. Nevertheless, taken as a group, the rates for other forms of heart disease and hypertension have decreased over the period reviewed. The number of deaths from influenza fluctuates year by year. Between 1950 and 1974 the highest number was 191 (in 1962) and the lowest was 17 (in 1967). During the 5 years 1965-69 the highest annual total was 51. This resulted in a very low rate of 1.3 for those 5 years. The death rate for pneumonia increased from 28.4 in 1950-54 to 46.4 in 1960-64, and has since remained at about that level. The principal reason for this change is the greatly increased number of people aged 85 years and over who have been certified as dying from this cause. The death rate for bronchitis almost doubled between 1950-54 and 1970-74, disclosing a pattern of increase similar to that of another cause of death associated with cigarette smoking, cancer of the lung. Although the rates for asthma have fluctuated, those for ulcer of stomach and duodenum, diseases of liver and gallbladder, nephritis and nephrosis, hyperplasia of prostate, and congenital anomalies all showed substantial decreases during the period. The rates for motor vehicle accidents showed a considerable increase from 14.8 in 1950-54 to 24.7 in 1970-74, but the rates for other accidental and violent deaths, for suicides, and for homicides were stable throughout the period. Overall the crude death rates for all causes combined decreased from 929.7 per 100 000 in 1950-54 to 851.3 per 100 000 in 1970-74. In the years 1970—74 there were 639 deaths from alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis combined. These cases are included under the heading of “Diseases of liver and gallbladder” and “all other causes” in table 5. Although the annual numbers and rates for this group of alcohol- related diseases have more than doubled during the past 5 years, it is at present not clear whether the rate of increase is as rapid as the figures suggest or whether this is a reflection of past under-reporting. 6. COMMUNITY HEALTH DEVELOPMENT With the approval of the State Services Commission the department is currently developing a programme to improve the planning, delivery, and evaluation of community health services. The programme is aimed at promoting the Government’s policy to place increased emphasis on preventive health services. Multi-disciplinary management groups with specific responsibilities for the definition, planning, and evaluation of community health programmes have already been set up in some health districts on a trial basis. Changes are being made in district health office organisation to