M5L4: Top Causes of Deaths in India

The diseases that claim maximum number of lives in India are

Rank	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths (Age 25-69)
1	Cardiovascular Diseases	24.8
2	Respiratory Diseases	10.2
3	Tuberculosis	10.1
4	Malignant and Other Tumors	9.4
5	Ill-Defined Conditions	5.3
6	Digestive Diseases	5.1
7	Diarrhoeal Diseases	5
8	Unintentional Injuries	4.6
9	Intentional Self-Harm	3
10	Malaria	2.8

Cardiovascular Disease

There are many leading causes of deaths in India, and cardiovascular disease has emerged as the top killer that has affected both urban and rural population. Cardiovascular deaths account for 24.8% of total deaths in the country. Primarily, the aged population is affected by this disorder and men are more affected than women. In rural areas, lack of proper medical facilities results in a higher number of deaths as many cases of health emergencies is not met with the medical care needed. Patients with cardiovascular emergencies often die on the way to health care centers or hospitals as remote villages are usually located far-off from such facilities.

Respiratory Disease

The most common respiratory disease asthma is caused due to exposure to allergens in the outdoor or indoor environment, smoking, genetics, and lifestyle and 10.2% of the total deaths are caused due to this disease in India. The absence of proper implementation worker-friendly and worker-safety rules and regulations often expose impoverished workers in factories to allergens in their work environment, triggering asthma in such workers. The higher rates of air pollution in the cities and towns of India also induce asthma in people inhabiting such urban areas.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an airborne disease, which can spread to other people through the air if the infected person sneezes or coughs, injecting the bacteria into the environment. A lack of proper nutrition often compromises the immune system of patients infected with the tuberculosis bacteria, making them more susceptible to such diseases. High rates of poverty, lack of clean-living facilities, improper nutrition and lack of awareness about prevention and treatment of tuberculosis are primarily responsible for the high rates of this disease in the country. Around 10.1% of total deaths are caused due tuberculosis in India.

This lecture will be divided into three parts

First it will cover the cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and life style disorders

Second part will deal with air pollution

Third part will deal with Drug Resistance Tuberculosis