Statistical analysis of mortality from diseases of the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract in Penza region (2021–2023)

Background. To analyze the structure of mortality of the population from diseases of the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract in Penza region for 2021-2023. Materials and methods. The study analyzed data obtained upon request from the Regional Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination on deaths in Penza Region for 2021–2023. The analysis used information from the “underlying cause of death” column, along with age and gender. Causes of death were categorized according to ICD-10 codes. Microsoft Office Excel 2007 was used for statistical data processing. The age classification adopted by the World Health Organization was used in the study. Results. The following results were obtained during the analysis: in the period from 2021 to 2023, 486 cases of death associated with diseases of the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract were recorded in Penza region. Of the total number of deaths: 55.3 % were women, 44.7 % were men. Among the deceased, 62.3 % lived in urban areas and 37.7 % in rural areas. For women in 2021-2023, the highest mortality rates are recorded in the age groups of 60-74 and 75-90 years. The main cause of death in these categories is diseases of the colon (42 %), followed by stomach diseases (30 %), and rectal diseases (18 %). Among men, mortality rates are distributed as follows: in first place are diseases of various parts of the colon – 55 %; in second place are diseases of the stomach (32 %); in third place are diseases of the esophagus (12 %). Conclusions. Thus, mortality from diseases of the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract, as well as from other types of tumors, is more often observed in regions with a declining population, where the proportion of young people is decreasing and the number of elderly people is growing. The leading risk factors, as the analysis showed, are: decreased physical activity against the background of excessive consumption of animal products; food products and additives containing dyes and preservatives; anthropogenic load.