"Avoidable mortality" as an index of health care outcome: results from the European Community Atlas of "Avoidable Death".

The history of the European Community Atlas of "Avoidable Death" is given. Data from the second Atlas are presented. For all causes of death except asthma there was a decrease in mortality in the period 1980-1984 with respect to 1974-1978. Taking the EC as a whole as the standard (100) population the standardised mortality ratio (SMR) in Ireland in the period 1980-1984 for tuberculosis was 160, for asthma 180 and maternal mortality 58. Ireland had the highest mortality for tuberculosis in both time periods. Asthma mortality increased in all countries except Scotland between 1974-1978 and 1980-1984. Ireland had one of the highest declines in maternal mortality over the two time periods. Within Ireland tuberculosis mortality was highest in the Mid-Western Health Board and lowest in the North-Western Health Board. Asthma mortality was highest in the Western Health Board and lowest in the Mid-Western Health Board. Maternal mortality was highest in the Midland Health board and lowest in the Southern Health Board.