Michael Bell
Ceist:19 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Health the number of people who died of starvation and malnutrition in each of the last ten years in each health board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4944/96]
Written Answers. - Deaths From Starvation-Malnutrition.
Limerick East): The numbers of deaths due to malnutrition are set out in the following table by health board area for each of the years 1985 to 1994. In the interpretation of these figures it is important to bear in mind that mortality from malnutrition can be due to a variety of underlying medical conditions. Approximately 80 per cent of the deaths from malnutrition are recorded as due to “unspecified protein-calorie deficiency”, ICD 263.9.
The table does not include deaths from starvation. During the period there was only one recorded death from this cause which occurred in 1987 in the North-Eastern Health Board area. Voluntary starvation due to anorexia nervosa resulted in four deaths during the ten year period.
Numbers of Deaths from Malnutrition 1985 to 1994
|
1985 |
1986 |
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993* |
1994* |
|
|
Eastern |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
Midland |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Mid-Western |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
North-Eastern |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
North-Western |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
South-Eastern |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Southern |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Western |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total |
8 |
9 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
Source: Central Statistics Office.
*These figures are based on year of registration rather than year of occurrence.