Dickinson-Iron County Critical Health Indicators

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Pneumonia and Influenza Deaths                                                                                           

What Is It?

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs due to infection. Influenza is an infection of the respiratory tract that causes fever, muscle ache, and weakness. It is a leading cause of death primarily because it is a common complication of any serious illness. This indicator reflects a need to increase the use of preventive vaccines as well as to reduce barriers to health care access.

How are Dickinson and Iron Counties doing?

The age-adjusted death rate (3-year average 1998-2000) for pneumonia and influenza in Dickinson County was 20.1 deaths per 100,000 population. In Iron County the rate was 34.1.

Pneumonia and Influenza Deaths and Death Rates
Dickinson County Residents, 1995-2000

Three-Year Moving Averages
Year All Ages Age Under 50 Age 50 - 74 Age 75 and Older
Average
 Age-Adjusted
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate
1998-2000 8.7 20.1 ±8.0   0.3 *    1.3 *    7.0 256.9 ±21.8  
1997-1999 10.7 25.1 ±8.9   0.3 *    1.3 *    9.0 334.2 ±19.2  

Five-Year Moving Averages
Year All Ages Age Under 50 Age 50 - 74 Age 75 and Older
Average
 Age-Adjusted
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate
1996-2000 11.6 26.5 ±6.9   0.2 *    1.4 21.1 ±37.8   10.0 373.2 ±14.1  
1995-1999 12.8 29.9 ±7.5   0.2 *    1.6 24.3 ±35.4   11.0 417.4 ±13.5  
Note: The manner in which underlying cause of death is coded and classified was revised in 1999 to reflect changing medical opinion and practice. The comparability between classification schemes for this particular cause of death is lower (0.70), meaning that caution should be taken in drawing specific inferences from comparisons of mortality statistics over time.


Pneumonia and Influenza Deaths and Death Rates
Iron County Residents, 1995-2000

Three-Year Moving Averages
Year All Ages Age Under 50 Age 50 - 74 Age 75 and Older
Average
 Age-Adjusted
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate
1998-2000 9.0 34.1 ±13.0   - -    - -    9.0 504.2 ±19.2  
1997-1999 8.3 32.1 ±12.7   - -    - -    8.3 470.3 ±20.0  

Five-Year Moving Averages
Year All Ages Age Under 50 Age 50 - 74 Age 75 and Older
Average
 Age-Adjusted
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate		 Average
 Age-Specific
Rate
1996-2000 6.6 25.7 ±8.8   - -    - -    6.6 373.4 ±17.4  
1995-1999 7.8 32.2 ±10.4   0.2 *    - -    7.6 434.4 ±16.2  
Note: The manner in which underlying cause of death is coded and classified was revised in 1999 to reflect changing medical opinion and practice. The comparability between classification schemes for this particular cause of death is lower (0.70), meaning that caution should be taken in drawing specific inferences from comparisons of mortality statistics over time.



How is the State of Michigan doing?

Pneumonia and influenza is the sixth leading cause of all deaths in Michigan and the tenth leading cause of Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) for people below the age of 75.

How do Dickinson and Iron Counties compare with Michigan and the U.S.?

In 2000, there were 1,894 deaths due to pneumonia and influenza in Michigan. The age-adjusted rate for pneumonia and influenza deaths in Michigan was 19.3 per 100,000 population. The U.S. rate for 1999 was 23.6. Overall the rate of death from pneumonia and influenza has remained relatively constant during the past 10 years.




Source: Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, MDCH

How are different populations affected?

The very young and the elderly are at higher risk of dying from pneumonia and influenza. In Michigan, 89 percent of pneumonia and influenza deaths occurred in individuals aged 65 or older in 2000. Pneumonia and influenza is the fifth leading cause of death for this age group.

The age-adjusted death rate for men was 24.3 while it was 16.6 for women.

What other information is important to know?

Virus-infected droplets coughed or sneezed into the air spread influenza. It usually occurs in small outbreaks, but every few years epidemics arise. Outbreaks tend to occur in winter and generally spread rapidly through schools and institutions for the elderly.

People aged 65 and older should be vaccinated against influenza every year and against pneumonia at least once. The 1997 Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey indicates that 63.2 percent of persons over 64 years of age had a flu shot within the past year and 45.8 percent had never had a pneumonia vaccination.

What are the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department and the Michigan Department of Community Health doing to affect this indicator?

The departments are actively working to decrease the incidence and impact of pneumonia and influenza. With the Michigan Department of Community Health's assistance, the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department administers flu and pneumonia vaccines. Adult Immunization Record cards are provided to local health departments and private providers to help patients keep track of their immunizations.

Preventive measures include distribution of an educational brochure addressing adult immunization. Efforts are directed to those with diabetes, seniors, others at high-risk as well as their physicians. The Dickinson-Iron District Health Department works with senior centers throughout the counties to conduct regular informational sessions on the importance of getting flu shots.

The MDCH conducts influenza surveillance each year through a network of physicians and clinical laboratories throughout the state. Information about the type, frequency, and severity of illness is helpful to physicians who need to make individual preventive and therapeutic treatment decisions. Local health departments are assisted in the epidemiological investigation of unusually large or severe outbreaks of influenza in health care facilities or the community by department staff.