Trends in mortality from diseases of the circulatory system and cancer by site in Antwerp, Belgium 1900-1975.

After studying the shortcomings of source materials, crude and age-adjusted death rates for diseases of the circulatory system and cancer by site in Antwerp have been compared for the period 1900-1975. Although the crude death rates of the most important causes of death show an increase until 1964, after age-adjustment it is possible to divide these in two groups. The first group shows after age-adjustment a decreasing trend suggesting crude mortality increases appear mostly in the oldest age-groups. The second group consists of mortality causes which after age-adjustment continue to increase. These increases appear to be linked to factors other than the ageing of the population. The evolution of the total cancer mortality shows that until 1940, it was dominated by the first group, while after 1950 a switch to the second group can be noticed.