Cancer mortality among reproductive age women in Tunisia.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cause-of-death data are critical to formulating good public health programs. In Tunisia, the mortality surveys of reproductive age women are specifically interested in maternal mortality and we do not have data on deaths from noncommunicable diseases including cancer. AIM: To identify the main cancers causing death among Tunisian women in reproductive age. METHODS: A retrospective   national RAMOS survey (Reproductive Age Mortality Study). This survey was conducted in 2010 and included all deaths of women aged 15-49 years which occurred in 2008 and were due to cancer. Data collection was based on the verbal autopsy method. RESULTS: In Tunisia, cancer is the leading cause of death among reproductive age women, especially breast cancer. The most exposed women are housewives (64.4%), aged 40-49 years (55.3%), living in urban areas (62.2%), belonging to the middle tercile classification of households (45.4%) and reaching a level of basic education (44.2%). CONCLUSION: Cancer should receive priority funding of health care for this population in order to improve its diagnosis and treatment, with a special motion for breast cancer.