Mortality in the two Germanies in 1986 and trends 1976–1986

By using the new analysis programme LIFETIME the mortality data of the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR are compared by age, sex and cause of death. The data submitted to the WHO were used for this purpose. Within the period from 1976 to 1986 life expectancy has risen in the Federal Republic of Germany, whereas in the GDR it increased to a minor extent only, so that the gap between the two parts of Germany has clearly enlarged. This enlarged gap in life expectancy largely depends on a higher mortality in the GDR due to diseases of the circular system and the respiratory organs, external influences and ‘other’ causes of death. The last-mentioned two groups also ‘contain’ the normally separatedly reported causes of death ‘cirrhosis of the liver’, ‘suicide’, ‘accidents’, and some diseases of the digestive system. These causes of death probably have gained a certain weight — like in other Eastern European countries — so that their evidence has been undesirable due to political reasons. In 1976 the GDR still reported these causes of death separately.