Peptic ulcers: mortality and hospitalization.

This study analyzes data on peptic ulcer disease based on deaths for 1951-1988 and hospital separations for 1969-1988. The source of the data are mortality and morbidity statistics provided to Statistics Canada by the provinces. The age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) for peptic ulcer disease decreased from 1951 to 1988 by 69.4% for men (8.5 to 2.6 per 100,000 population), and 31.8% for women (2.2 to 1.5). Separation rates from hospitals during 1969-1988 for peptic ulcer disease also decreased by 59.8% for men (242.7 to 97.6 per 100,000 population) and 35.6% for women (103.2 to 66.5). Age-specific rates for both mortality and hospital separations increased with age. Epidemiological studies indicate that the incidence of peptic ulcer disease is declining in the general population. The downward trends in mortality and hospitalization rates for peptic ulcer disease reflect this change in incidence, but additional factors probably contribute as well to this decline. Male rates for both mortality and hospital separations were much higher than female rates at the beginning of the study period; but toward the end, the gap between the sexes narrowed considerably, mainly because the male rates declined substantially while the female rates decline moderately. The slower decline in the rates for women may be related to such factors as the increasing labour force participation among women and the slower decline in the population of female smokers.