[Leading causes of death in the aborigines in Taiwan]

Leading causes of death were analyzed among Aboriginal tribes in Taiwan in the decades of 1971-80 and 1981-90. Sex and tribe specific standardized mortality ratios were calculated from death certificate data and compared with the number of expected deaths derived from the mortality of the total population in Taiwan. In all, 35,221 cases of death in Aborigines were contrasted with 1,695,479 cases of death in the total population in Taiwan. Generally speaking during the two decades the SMR increased considerably suggesting more attention should be paid to the aborigines. Mortality due to accidents was statistically significantly higher than expected among Atayal, Bunun, Paiwan and Rukai men and among Atayal, Bunun and Paiwan women, as was mortality from tuberculosis among Atayal, Bunun, Paiwan and Rukai men and women, mortality due to liver cirrhosis as well as pneumonia among the Atayal, Bunun and Paiwan men and women, mortality from suicide among Atayal, Bunun, and Paiwan men, and among Atayal and Bunun women, mortality due to cancer among Bunun and Paiwan men and women, and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases among Atayal, Bunun and Paiwan men in 1981-90 decade. The SMR for ill-defined conditions was on average twice as high as expected; but among the Yami tribe in particular it was elevated 12 fold, indicating insufficient medical care. Factors relating to the cause of increased deaths need to be further studied.