Table 1.

Selected avoidable deaths

Cause of death	Intervention	ICD9 code	Age-groups
Deaths amenable to both medical care and public health		001-999	0-64
Ischemic heart disease	Public health	410-414, 429.2	35-64
	Smoking cessation, lifestyle modification
	Medical care
	Pharmacotherapy, angioplasty, surgery
Deaths amenable to medical care
Tuberculosis	Immunization, contact tracing, pharmacotherapy	010-018, 137	5-64
Malignant neoplasm of the breast [breast cancer]	Screening, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy	174	25-64
Malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri [cervical cancer]	Screening, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy	180	15-64
Malignant neoplasm of the uterus [uterine cancer]	Screening, surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy	179, 182	15-64
Hodgkin's disease	Chemotherapy, radiation therapy,	201	15-64
Hypertension and cerebrovascular disease	Pharmacotherapy, carotid endarterectomy	401-405, 430-438	35-64
Asthma	Pharmacotherapy	493	5-44
Gastric and duodenal ulcer [ulcers]	Pharmacotherapy, surgery	531-534	25-64
Appendicitis	Surgery	540-543	5-64
Hernia	Surgery	550-553	5-64
Cholelithiasis, cholecystitis and cholangitis [Gallbladder diseases]	Pharmacotherapy, surgery	575-476	5-64
Complications of pregnancy [Maternal mortality]	Pharmacotherapy, surgery	630-676	0-64
Perinatal conditions	Screening, pharmacotherapy, surgery	760-779	> 28 weeks, gestation < 1 week and stillbirths
Deaths amenable to public health
Malignant neoplasm of the trachea, bronchus and lung [Lung cancer]	Smoking cessation, lifestyle modification	162	35-64
Accidents/Poisonings/Violence [Injuries]	Legislation, safety equipment	800-999	0-64

Adapted from the European Community Working Group on Health Services and Avoidable Deaths, 1997 and reproduced from James et al [27].