[Mortality due to selected causes of infectious and chronic non-transmissible diseases, from 1991 to 2004]

to analyze the mortality behavior due to infectious diseases (acute diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections and lung tuberculosis) and chronic non-transmissible diseases (cervical cancer, breast cancer, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease) in insured population of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), in insured population user of the health services of IMSS and in uncovered population, from 1991 to 2004.

a descriptive study was carried out, in which the annual rates of national mortality for the selected causes were calculated by specific age groups in both insured and uninsured population. Death records were taken from the official registers of the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics and from the IMSS Mortality System. Population data were obtained from projections of the National Council of Population and IMSS records.

mortality due to acute diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, lung tuberculosis and cervical cancer had a descending behavior, while breast cancer, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease increased. Mortality for all causes analyzed was higher in uninsured population, except for diabetes mellitus, which was higher in insured population. This can be explained by the socioeconomic characteristics of the studied populations, as well as those of health services.