Leukemia-Related Mortality in Inner Mongolia, 2008–2012

In this study, we aimed to determine the leukemia-related mortality rates and associated sociodemographic characteristics in the Inner Mongolia region of China. We obtained data for the period 2008–2012 from the Death Registry System maintained by the Inner Mongolia Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We computed the percentages of leukemia-related deaths and controls diagnosed by various methods and at different levels of hospitals. The χ(2) test was used to examine differences in leukemia-related mortality according to sex. We also calculated potential years of life lost (PYLL) and average years of life lost. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to analyze the effect of sociodemographic characteristics. The sex-adjusted leukemia-related mortality rate was 3.74/100 000. The mortality rate in men (4.27/100 000) was significantly higher than that in women (3.17/100 000), as was the respective PYLL (8040.5 vs. 6000.5 person-years). Mortality increased with increasing age in both men and women. The highest mortality rate was observed in those over 70 years of age for both men (18.36/100 000) and women (7.68/100 000). Men with a higher education level showed an increased risk of leukemia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02–2.07, P = 0.04). In men, unemployment was associated with leukemia-related death (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.42–0.95, P = 0.03). The leukemia-related mortality rate in Inner Mongolia was higher than that worldwide and that in China. A higher level of education and unemployment were associated with leukemia-related mortality in Inner Mongolia.