Trends in Malignant Melanoma Mortality in Sweden
Author Information
Author(s): M. Thorn, P. Sparen, R. Bergstrom, H.-O. Adami
Primary Institution: University Hospital, Uppsala
Hypothesis
What are the trends in mortality rates from malignant melanoma in Sweden from 1953 to 1987?
Conclusion
Mortality rates from malignant melanoma have increased in men and stabilized in women over the study period.
Supporting Evidence
- The average annual increase in mortality rates for men decreased from 4.6% to 2.0% over the study period.
- In women, the mortality rates stabilized at a higher level during 1978-1987 compared to 1968-1977.
- Multivariate analyses indicated that the change in rates for men was mainly due to a birth-cohort effect.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many people died from skin cancer in Sweden over 35 years and found that more men are dying, but the number of women dying has stopped going up.
Methodology
The study analyzed mortality data from the Swedish National Cause of Death Register and used multivariate analysis to separate the effects of time period and birth cohort.
Potential Biases
There may be risks of bias due to changes in reporting practices over time.
Limitations
The accuracy of the certified underlying cause of death may vary, which could affect the trends.
Participant Demographics
The study included all patients in Sweden who died of malignant melanoma from 1953 to 1987, with data distributed by sex and age.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.07
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 3.2-4.2%
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
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