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Public Health & Epidemiology vocabulary · Measuring Health and Disease

Excess mortality

Meaning in public health & epidemiology, with examples

nounCommon term

In public health & epidemiology, excess mortality means: The number of deaths from all causes during a period above what would normally be expected, based on earlier years.

In Turkish: fazla ölüm, beklenenin üzerindeki ölümler

How it is used

Widely used during heatwaves and the COVID-19 pandemic because it captures deaths that were never tested or correctly recorded. Analysts estimate excess deaths by comparing observed deaths with expected deaths.

Example sentences

  1. The heatwave was followed by clear excess mortality among people over 75.

  2. Excess mortality figures suggest that the official death toll was too low.

Common collocations

  • excess deaths
  • estimate excess mortality
  • all-cause excess mortality
  • expected deaths
  • mortality rateThe number of deaths in a population during a period, divided by the size of that population, often given per 1,000 or 100,000 people per year.
  • underreportingThe situation when the number of cases or deaths reported to health authorities is lower than the true number, for example because people do not seek care or doctors do not notify.
  • pandemicAn epidemic that spreads across several countries or continents and affects a very large number of people.
  • burden of diseaseThe total impact of a disease or health problem on a population, measured by deaths, illness, disability and sometimes economic cost.

More terms: Measuring Health and Disease

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.