Unravelling the Longitudinal Dynamics of Neurodegenerative Disease Mortality: Insights from 50 Years of Belgian Demographic Data

Janna Dinneweth , Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Sylvie Gadeyne, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are an increasingly pressing public health concern. This study delves into the dynamics of NDD mortality in Belgium, a country notably affected by these conditions. We aim to investigate this multifaceted issue through the use of an extensive set mortality data from 1970 to 2020. Our approach involves calculating indirectly age-standardized mortality rates for dementias and Parkinson’s Disease at the municipal level using the 1970 Belgian population as a reference standard. We further employ geographical visualization techniques to transform these rates into informative maps, revealing temporal and spatial variations in NDD mortality. Study findings reveal trends in dementia classifications, with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) superseding dementia from 1980 to 1993, and later, dementia-related deaths surpassing AD deaths. Spatially, dementia ICD-codes clustered in the northern region (Flanders) while AD codes clustered in the southern (Walloon) region. PD-related deaths doubled from 1997 to 2020, with a shift from higher female proportions before 2004 to increased male proportions from 2004 to 2020. Spatial analysis shows a notable rise in PD mortality rates in the Walloon region by 2000, yet a contrasting pattern was found in 2019. Lastly, spatial regression techniques were employed to investigate additional explanatory factors for spatial disparities, extending beyond registration practices. Nonetheless, the outcomes of these analyses remained inconclusive. The findings of this study aim to confront the mounting challenges posed by NDDs in the contemporary demographic landscape.

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 Presented in Session 51. Flash session Causes of Death and Multi-morbidity at Death