Dødsrate

Dødsrate, or mortality rate, is a demographic indicator that measures the frequency of deaths in a population during a specified period, typically a calendar year. It is usually expressed per 1,000 population or per 100,000 person-years, depending on the context.

The crude death rate (CDR) is the total number of deaths in a period divided by the mid-year population, multiplied by a constant (commonly 1,000). An age-specific death rate counts deaths within a defined age group divided by the population of that age group, also scaled by the same constant. To enable meaningful comparisons across populations with different age structures, standardized death rates are used. Direct standardization applies observed age-specific rates to a reference population, while indirect standardization applies standard rates to the population of interest.

Dødsrate is used to assess population health, monitor trends over time, compare regions or groups, evaluate public health interventions, and inform resource planning. It relates closely to other demographic measures such as life expectancy and life-table analyses.

Data for dødsrate come from vital statistics systems, death certificates, and national registries. Limitations include sensitivity to the population’s age structure, potential underreporting or misclassification of deaths, variations in how causes of death are certified, and delays in data collection. Comparisons across regions or time should account for these factors and, where possible, use age-standardized or other adjusted rates to reduce bias.

In practice, dødsrate is a foundational statistic in public health and demographic analysis, providing a succinct measure of mortality that supports broader assessments of population health and social development.