Epidemiological pattern of death and causes in immigrants of Northeast Iran during the 2013-2023: a cross-sectional study

Background and Objective: International migration has increased in recent years and there is little information about immigrant mortality. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiological pattern of death and its causes among immigrants in Mashhad city, northeast Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data on deceased immigrants registered according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) were extracted from the system of registration and classification of the causes of death of Iran for deaths due to causes related to non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases, maternal/neonatal causes, injuries and unknown during the years 2013 to 2023. The variables studied included age, gender, date, and cause of death. Pattern of deaths and age/gender standardized mortality rates were computed. Stata software was used to analyze data. Results: Data on 10,777 deaths was examined. During this decade, non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases, maternal/neonatal causes, and finally injuries were the most common causes of death among immigrants. Mortality from non-communicable diseases, followed by communicable diseases, was higher in the age group over 60 than in other ages (p< 0.001). Maternal/neonatal causes were also higher in the age group under one year than in other age groups and in males than in females. Injuries are more common in men and in the age group of 20-40 years, where the majority of young people are in this group. A significant association was observed between occurrence of each cause of death and age (p< 0.001) and gender (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Mortality from non-communicable diseases was higher than other causes among immigrants during this period. This indicates an epidemiological transition from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases. It is very important to know and register comprehensive and accurate data on the causes of mortality in immigrant populations. Considering the relationship between migration and mortality, ensuring equitable access to healthcare services and actively addressing discriminatory policies are crucial to enabling all individuals to utilize these services affectively.