In 2021, the leading causes of death in Africa were lower respiratory infections, malaria, and stroke. That year, lower respiratory infections resulted in around 65 deaths per 100,000 population in Africa. Leading causes of death in Africa vs the world Worldwide, the top three leading causes of death in 2021 were heart disease, COVID-19, and stroke. At that time, some of the leading causes of death in Africa, such as lower respiratory infections and stroke, were among the leading causes worldwide, but there were also stark differences in the leading causes of death in Africa compared to the leading causes worldwide. For example, malaria, diarrheal disease, and preterm birth complications were among the top ten leading causes of death in Africa, but not worldwide. Furthermore, HIV/AIDS was the eighth leading cause of death in Africa at that time, but was not among the top ten leading causes worldwide. HIV/AIDS in Africa Although HIV/AIDS impacts every region of the world, Africa is still the region most impacted by this deadly virus. Worldwide, there are around 40 million people currently living with HIV, with about 20.8 million found in Eastern and Southern Africa and 5.1 million in Western and Central Africa. The countries with the highest HIV prevalence worldwide include Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa, with the leading 20 countries by HIV prevalence all found in Africa. However, due in part to improvements in education and awareness, the prevalence of HIV in many African countries has decreased. For example, in Botswana, the prevalence of HIV decreased from 26.1 percent to 16.6 percent in the period from 2000 to 2023.

Lower respiratory infections were the leading cause of death in Africa in 2021. Lower respiratory infections accounted for 8.6 percent of all deaths in Africa that year, followed by malaria, which was responsible for 6.5 percent of deaths. Although HIV is not one of the leading causes of death worldwide, it remains within the top 10 leading causes of death in Africa. As of 2023, the top 15 countries with the highest prevalence of new HIV infections are all found in Africa. HIV/AIDS HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is an infectious sexually transmitted disease that is transmitted via exposure to infected semen, blood, vaginal and anal fluids and breast milk. HIV weakens the human immune system, resulting in the affected person being unable to fight off opportunistic infections. HIV/AIDS was the eighth leading cause of death in Africa in 2021, accounting for around 4.6 percent of all deaths, or around 405,790 total deaths. HIV Treatment Although there is currently no effective cure for HIV, death can be prevented by taking HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART). Access to ART worldwide has increased greatly over the last decade; however, there are still barriers to access in some of the countries most impacted by HIV. The African countries with the highest percentage of HIV infected children who were receiving antiretroviral treatment were Eswatini, Lesotho, and Uganda.

this graph was created in Tableu and Ourdataworld :

https://www.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/kaggle-user-content/o/inbox%2F16731800%2Fc5bb0b21c8b3a126eca89160e1d25d03%2Fgraph1.png?generation=1710708871099084&alt=media" alt="">

https://www.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/kaggle-user-content/o/inbox%2F16731800%2Ff81fcfa72e97f08202ba1cb06fe138da%2Fgraph2.png?generation=1710708877558039&alt=media" alt="">

https://www.googleapis.com/download/storage/v1/b/kaggle-user-content/o/inbox%2F16731800%2Fabbdfd146844a7e8d19e277c2eecb83b%2Fgraph3.png?generation=1710708883608541&alt=media" alt="">

Understanding the Global Distribution of HIV/AIDS Deaths

Introduction:

HIV/AIDS remains one of the most significant public health challenges globally, with its impact varying widely across countries and regions. While the overall share of deaths attributed to HIV/AIDS stands at around 1.5% globally, this statistic belies the stark disparities observed on a country-by-country basis. This essay delves into the global distribution of deaths from HIV/AIDS, examining both the overarching trends and the localized impacts across different regions, particularly focusing on Southern Sub-Saharan Africa.

Understanding Global Trends:

At a global level, HIV/AIDS accounts for approximately 1.5% of all deaths. This figure, though relatively low in comparison to other causes of mortality, represents a significant burden on public health systems and communities worldwide. However, when zooming in on specific regions, such as Europe, the share of deaths attributable to HIV/AIDS drops significantly, often comprising less than 0.1% of total mortality. This pattern suggests varying levels of prevalence and effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment strategies across different parts of the world.

Regional Disparities:

The distribution of HIV/AIDS deaths is not uniform across the globe, with certain regions experiencing disproportionately high burdens. Southern Sub-Saharan Africa emerges as a focal point of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with a significant portion of deaths attributed to the virus occurring in this region. Factors such as limited access to healthcare, socio-economic disparities, cultural stigmatization, and insufficient education about HIV/AIDS contribute to the heightened prevalence and impact of the disease in this area.

Southern Sub-Saharan Africa: A Hotspot for HIV/AIDS Deaths:

Within Southern Sub-Saharan Africa, countries such as South Africa, Botswana, and Swaziland stand out for their exceptionally high rates of HIV/AIDS-related mortality. In these nations, HIV/AIDS can account for up to a quarter of all deaths, highlighting the acute nature of the epidemic in these regions. The reasons behind this disproportionate burden are multifaceted, encompassing issues ranging from inadequate healthcare infrastructure to socio-cultural barriers inhibiting prevention and treatment efforts.

Challenges and Responses:

Addressing the unequal distribution of HIV/AIDS deaths necessitates a multi-faceted approach that encompasses both prevention and treatment strategies tailored to the specific needs of affected communities. Efforts to expand access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), promote comprehensive sexual education, combat stigma, and strengthen healthcare systems are crucial components of an effective response. Moreover, fostering partnerships between governments, civil society organizations, and international entities is essential for coordinating resources and expertise to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic comprehensively.

Lessons Learned and Future Directions:

The global distribution of deaths from HIV/AIDS underscores the importance of context-specific interventions that take into account the unique social, economic, and cultural factors influencing the spread and impact of the disease. While progress has been made in reducing HIV/AIDS-related mortality in some regions, much work remains to be done, particularly in areas where the burden of the epidemic remains disproportionately high. Going forward, sustained investment in research, healthcare infrastructure, and community empowerment initiatives will be vital for achieving meaningful reductions in HIV/AIDS deaths worldwide.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the global distribution of deaths from HIV/AIDS reveals a complex landscape characterized by both overarching trends and localized disparities. While the overall share of deaths attributable to HIV/AIDS may seem relatively modest on a global scale, the stark contrasts observed across different countries and regions underscore the need for targeted interventions tailored to the specific contexts in which the epidemic is most pronounced. By addressing the underlying social, economic, and healthcare-related factors driving the unequal distribution of HIV/AIDS deaths, the global co...

Latest data from 2017 show that Tuberculosis was with approximately ****** cases the leading cause of death in South Africa. Diabetes mellitus caused ** thousand casualties and was the second highest underlying cause of death, whereas ****** people passed away due to Cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. stroke, carotid stenosis). HIV/AIDS was the fifth ranked disease, causing ****** casualties. In total, roughly **** million people in East and Southern Africa lived with HIV in 2018, causing over ******* AIDS-related deaths.

The leading causes of death among Black residents in the United States in 2023 included diseases of the heart, cancer, unintentional injuries, and stroke. The leading causes of death for African Americans generally reflect the leading causes of death for the entire United States population. However, a major exception is that death from assault or homicide is the seventh leading cause of death among African Americans but is not among the ten leading causes for the general population. Homicide among African Americans The homicide rate among African Americans has been higher than that of other races and ethnicities for many years. In 2023, around 9,284 Black people were murdered in the United States, compared to 7,289 white people. A majority of these homicides are committed with firearms, which are easily accessible in the United States. In 2023, around 13,350 Black people died by firearms. Cancer disparities There are also major disparities in access to health care and the impact of various diseases. For example, the incidence rate of cancer among African American males is the greatest among all ethnicities and races. Furthermore, although the incidence rate of cancer is lower among African American women than it is among white women, cancer death rates are still higher among African American women.

The leading cause of death in low-income countries worldwide in 2021 was lower respiratory infections, followed by stroke and ischemic heart disease. The death rate from lower respiratory infections that year was 59.4 deaths per 100,000 people. While the death rate from stroke was around 51.6 per 100,000 people. Many low-income countries suffer from health issues not seen in high-income countries, including infectious diseases, malnutrition and neonatal deaths, to name a few. Low-income countries worldwide Low-income countries are defined as those with per gross national incomes (GNI) per capita of 1,045 U.S. dollars or less. A majority of the world’s low-income countries are located in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Some of the lowest-income countries as of 2023 include Burundi, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. Low-income countries have different health problems that lead to worse health outcomes. For example, Chad, Lesotho, and Nigeria have some of the lowest life expectancies on the planet. Health issues in low-income countries Low-income countries also tend to have higher rates of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases as a consequence of poor health infrastructure and a lack of qualified health workers. Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa have some of the highest rates of new HIV infections worldwide. Likewise, tuberculosis, a treatable condition that affects the respiratory system, has high incident rates in lower income countries. Other health issues can be affected by the income of a country as well, including maternal and infant mortality. In 2023, Afghanistan had one of the highest rates of infant mortality rates in the world.

In 2021, the leading cause of death in South Africa was COVID-19, with a distribution of 15.1 percent. Diabetes mellitus and hypertensive diseases followed, with a share of six percent and around five percent, respectively.

Abstract

This cumulative dataset contains statistics on mortality and causes of death in South Africa covering the period 1997-2015. The mortality and causes of death dataset are part of a regular series published by Stats SA, based on data collected through the civil registration system. The first dataset in the series is the separately available dataset Recorded Deaths 1996.

The main objective of this dataset is to outline emerging trends and differentials in mortality by selected socio-demographic and geographic characteristics for deaths that occurred in the registered year and over time. Reliable mortality statistics, are the cornerstone of national health information systems, and are necessary for population health assessment, health policy and service planning; and programme evaluation. They are essential for studying the occurrence and distribution of health-related events, their determinants and management of related health problems. These data are particularly critical for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 which share the same goal for a high standard of living and quality of life, sound health and well-being for all and at all ages. Mortality statistics are also required for assessing the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCD's), emerging infectious diseases, injuries and natural disasters.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Individuals

Universe

This dataset is based on information on mortality and causes of death from the South African civil registration system. It covers all death notification forms from the Department of Home Affairs for deaths that occurred in 1997-2015, that reached Stats SA during the 2016/2017 processing phase.

Kind of data

Administrative records data [adm]

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

Research instrument

The registration of deaths is captured using two instruments: form BI-1663 and form DHA-1663 (Notification/Register of death/stillbirth).

Data appraisal

This cumulative dataset is part of a regular series published by Stats SA and includes all previous rounds in the series (excluding Recorded Deaths 1996). Stats SA only includes one variable to classify the occupation group of the deceased (OccupationGrp) in the current round (1997-2017). Prior to 2016, Stats SA included both occupation group (OccupationGrp) and industry classification (Industry) in all previous rounds. Therefore, DataFirst has made the 1997-2015 cumulative round available as a separately downloadable dataset which includes both occupation group and industry classification of the deceased spanning the years 1997-2015.

A database detailing the top twenty single underlying causes of death in South Africa, with separate rankings for males and females.

Two datasets that explore causes of death due to cancer in South Africa, drawing on data from the Revised Burden of Disease estimates for the Comparative Risk Factor Assessment for South Africa, 2000. The number and percentage of deaths due to cancer by cause are ranked for persons, males and females in the tables below. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer in SA accounting for 17% of all cancer deaths. This is followed by oesophagus Ca which accounts for 13%, cervix cancer accounting for 8%, breast cancer accounting for 8% and liver cancer which accounts for 6% of all cancers. Many more males suffer from lung and oesophagus cancer than females.

56 million people died in 2017. What did they die from?

The Global Burden of Disease is a major global study on the causes of death and disease published in the medical journal The Lancet. These estimates of the annual number of deaths dataset are shown here.

Downloaded https://ourworldindata.org/causes-of-death dataset from first chart as CSV. Loaded the raw file in tableau prep for exploratory data distribution and applying some pivoting and cleaning. The output were uploaded in this dataset as well the original raw file.

Please notice the raw file have some country agrupations by region, but there is no data indicating it's an aggregation, so be careful analyzing the whole dataset guessing there are just countries as level of detail data. In order to be more accurate, I begin to analyze countries using the ISO Country code ("Code" named column). If you have no clue as me what country ZAF is, Google is your best friend (South Africa) 😉.

BackgroundStroke in adults is a critical clinical condition and a leading cause of death and disability globally. Epidemiological data on stroke in sub-Saharan Africa are limited. This study describes incidence rates, stroke types and antecedent factors among patients hospitalized with stroke in Zanzibar.MethodsThis was a prospective, observational study of stroke patients at hospitals in Unguja, Zanzibar. Socioeconomic and demographic data were recorded alongside relevant past medical history, medicine use and risk factors. The modified National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (mNIHSS) was used to assess admission stroke severity and, when possible, stroke was confirmed by neuroimaging.ResultsA total of 869 stroke admissions were observed from 1st October 2019 through 30th September 2020. Age-standardized to the World Health Organization global population, the yearly incidence was 286.8 per 100,000 adult population (95%CI: 272.4–301.9). Among these patients, 720 (82.9%) gave consent to participate in the study. Median age of participants was 62 years (53–70), 377 (52.2%) were women, and 463 (64.3%) had a first-ever stroke. Known stroke risk factors included hypertension in 503 (72.3%) patients, of whom 279 (55.5%) reported regularly using antihypertensive medication, of whom 161 (57.7%) had used this medication within the last week before stroke onset. A total of 460 (63.9%) participants had neuroimaging performed; among these there was evidence of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in 140 (30.4%). Median stroke severity score using mNIHSS was 19 (10–27).ConclusionZanzibar has high incidence of hospitalization for stroke, indicating a very high population incidence of stroke. The proportion of strokes due to ICH is substantially higher than in high-income countries. Most stroke patients had been in contact with health care providers prior to stroke onset and been diagnosed with hypertension. However, few were using antihypertensive medication at the time of stroke onset.www.ClinicalTrial.gov registration NCT04095806.

BackgroundGlobally, road traffic accidents are the eighth-leading cause of death for all age groups. The estimated number of road traffic deaths in low income countries was more than three times as high as in high-income countries. Africa had the highest rate of fatalities attributed to road traffic accidents. Ethiopia has the highest number of road traffic fatalities among Sub-Saharan African countries. The main objective of this study was to determine the incidence and predictors of mortality among road traffic victims admitted to hospitals in Hawassa City.MethodsA facility-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using secondary data from hospital records. A total of 398 road traffic accident victims admitted to selected hospitals in Hawassa city from January 2019 to December 2021 participated in the study. Data were analyzed using STATA version 14.1. The Cox regression model was used to determine the predictors of mortality. A hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a cut-off value of P

This statistic presents the death rates for the five leading causes of deaths among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in each WHO region in 2015 (per 100,000 population). In low- and middle-income countries in Africa the leading cause of death among those aged 10 to 19 years was lower respiratory infections with a death rate of **** per 100,000 population. In high income WHO countries road injury was the leading cause of death among adolescents with a rate of ***. Road injury was the only cause to be in the five leading causes of death among adolescents in every WHO region.

BackgroundEndometrial cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer among females and about 97,000 global deaths of endometrial cancer. The changes in the trends of obesity, fertility rates and other risk factors in South Africa (SA) may impact the endometrial cancer trends. The aim of this study was to utilise the age period cohort and join point regression modelling to evaluate the national and ethnic trends in endometrial cancer mortality in South Africa over a 20year period (1999–2018).MethodsData from Statistics South Africa was obtained to calculate the annual number of deaths, and annual crude and age standardised mortality rates (ASMR) of endometrial cancer from 1999–2018. The overall and ethnic trends of endometrial cancer mortality was assessed using the Join point regression model, while Age-period-cohort (APC) regression modelling was conducted to estimate the effect of age, calendar period and birth cohort.ResultsDuring the period 1999–2018, 4,877 deaths were due to endometrial cancer which constituted about 3.6% of breast and gynecological cancer deaths (3.62%, 95% CI: 3.52%–3.72%) in South Africa. The ASMR of endometrial cancer doubled from 0.76 deaths per 100,000 women in 1999 to 1.5 deaths per 100,000 women in 2018, with an average annual rise of 3.6% per annum. (Average Annual Percentage change (AAPC): 3.6%, 95%CI:2.7–4.4, P-value < 0.001). In 2018, the overall mean age at death for endometrial cancer was was 67.40 ± 11.04 years and, the ASMR of endometrial cancer among Indian/Asians (1.69 per 100,000 women), Blacks (1.63 per 100,000 women) and Coloreds (1.39 per 100,000 women) was more than doubled the rates among Whites (0.66 deaths per 100,000 women). Indian/Asians had stable rates while other ethnic groups had increased rates. The Cohort mortality risk ratio (RR) of endometrial cancer increased with successive birth cohort from 1924 to 1963 (RR increased from 0.2 to 1.00), and subsequently declined among successive cohorts from 1963 to 1998 (1.00 to 0.09). There was strong age and cohort but not period effect among the South African women. Ethnic disparity showed that there was age effect among all the ethnic groups; Cohort effect among Blacks and Coloureds only, while Period effect occurred only among Blacks.ConclusionsThe mortality rates of endometrial cancer doubled over a twenty-year period in South Africa from 1999–2018. There was strong ethnic disparity, with age and cohort effect on endometrial cancer trends. Thus, targeted efforts geared towards prevention and prompt treatment of endometrial cancer among the high-risk groups should be pursued by stake holders.

N, number of systematic reviews.§Number of deaths in children younger than age 5 years other than neonates and their distribution by cause (yearly average for 2000–03) according to the World Health Organization Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group.*Includes immunizations for Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (n = 1), Hepatitis A (n = 1), Hepatitis B (n = 1), N. meningitidis (n = 2), Varicella (n = 1), Patient reminder and recall systems (n = 1).

BackgroundThyroid cancer is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among cancers of the endocrine system. We aimed to describe the trends of thyroid cancer burden in North Africa and Middle East for 1990–2019.MethodsData on burden of thyroid cancer in North Africa and Middle East from 1990 to 2019 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. Decomposition analysis was used to estimate the effects of population growth, aging, and change in incident numbers on overall change of thyroid cancer incidence. Also, we used the comparative risk assessment framework of GBD to determine the burden of thyroid cancer attributable to a high body mass index (BMI).ResultsIn 2019, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of thyroid cancer were 3.5 (2.9–4) and 0.5 (0.5–0.7) per 100,000, respectively. The highest age-standardized incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) rate were in Lebanon, Afghanistan, and United Arab Emirates, respectively. The ASIR of thyroid cancer in region was about 2.5 times higher among women, which had a positive association with increasing age. In 2019, the age-standardized deaths attributable to a high BMI was 16.7% of all deaths due to thyroid cancer. In 1990–2019, the overall change in thyroid cancer incident cases was a 396% increase which was mostly driven by the increase in disease-specific incidence rate (256.8%).ConclusionsWomen, the elderly above about 60 years old, and countries with a higher sociodemographic index showed higher incidence rates of thyroid cancer. Regarding our findings, it is recommended to establish preventive plans by modification in life style like weight reduction programs.

The project, based at the University of Greenwich, UK and Stellenbosch University, South Africa, aimed to examine epidemiologic transitions by identifying and quantifying the drivers of change in CVD risk in the middle-income country of South Africa compared to the high-income nation of England. The project produced a harmonised dataset of national surveys measuring CVD risk factors in South Africa and England for others to use in future work. The harmonised dataset includes microdata from nationally-representative surveys in South Africa derived from the Demographic and Health Surveys, National Income Dynamics Study, South Africa National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health, covering 11 cross-sections and approximately 156,000 individuals aged 15+ years, representing South Africa’s adult population from 1998 to 2017.

Data for England come from 17 Health Surveys for England (HSE) over the same time period, covering over 168,000 individuals aged 16+ years, representing England’s adult population.

This study uses existing data to identify drivers of recent health transitions in South Africa compared to England. The global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on health is increasing. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in particular are the leading causes of death globally and often share characteristics with many major NCDs. Namely, they tend to increase with age and are influenced by behavioural factors such as diet, exercise and smoking. Risk factors for CVD are routinely measured in population surveys and thus provide an opportunity to study health transitions. Understanding the drivers of health transitions in countries that have not followed expected paths (eg, South Africa) compared to those that exemplified models of 'epidemiologic transition' (eg, England) can generate knowledge on where resources may best be directed to reduce the burden of disease. In the middle-income country of South Africa, CVD is the second leading cause of death after HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB). Moreover, many of the known risk factors for NCDs like CVD are highly prevalent. Rates of hypertension are high, with recent estimates suggesting that over 40% of adults have high blood pressure. Around 60% of women and 30% of men over 15 are overweight in South Africa. In addition, excessive alcohol consumption, a risk factor for many chronic diseases, is high, with over 30% of men aged 15 and older having engaged in heavy episodic drinking within a 30-day period. Nevertheless, infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS remain the leading cause of death, though many with HIV/AIDS and TB also have NCDs. In high-income countries like England, by contrast, NCDs such as CVD have been the leading causes of death since the mid-1900s. However, CVD and risk factors such as hypertension have been declining in recent decades due to increased prevention and treatment. The major drivers of change in disease burden have been attributed to factors including ageing, improved living standards, urbanisation, lifestyle change, and reduced infectious disease. Together, these changes are often referred to as the epidemiologic transition. However, recent research has questioned whether epidemiologic transition theory accurately describes the experience of many low- and middle-income countries or, in fact, of high-income nations such as England. Furthermore, few studies have empirically tested the relative contributions of demographic, behavioural, health and economic factors to trends in disease burden and risk, particularly on the African continent. In addition, many social and environmental factors are overlooked in this research. To address these gaps, our study will use population measurements of CVD risk derived from surveys in South Africa over nearly 20 years in order to examine whether and to what extent demographic, behavioural, environmental, medical, social and other factors contribute to recent health trends and transitions. We will compare these trends to those occurring in England over the same time period. Thus, this analysis seeks to illuminate the drivers of health transitions in a country which is assumed to still be 'transitioning' to a chronic disease profile but which continues to have a high infectious disease burden (South Africa) as compared to a country which is assumed to have already transitioned following epidemiological transition theory (England). The analysis will employ modelling techniques on pooled cross-sectional data to examine how various factors explain the variation in CVD risk over time in representative population samples from South Africa and England. The results of this analysis may help to identify some of the main contributors to recent changes in CVD risk in South Africa and England. Such information can be used to pinpoint potential areas for intervention, such as social policy and services, thereby helping to set priorities for governmental and nongovernmental action to control the CVD epidemic and improve health.

The global landscape of mortality has undergone significant changes from 1990 to 2021, but cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. In 2021, cardiovascular diseases accounted for 28.6 percent of all deaths, followed by cancers at 14.6 percent. Notably, COVID-19 emerged as the third leading cause of death in 2021, responsible for 11.6 percent of global fatalities. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic The emergence of COVID-19 as a major cause of death underscores the profound impact of the pandemic on global health. By May 2023, the virus had infected over 687 million people worldwide and claimed nearly 6.87 million lives. The United States, India, and Brazil were among the most severely affected countries. The pandemic's effects extended beyond direct mortality, influencing healthcare systems and potentially exacerbating other health conditions. Shifts in global health priorities While infectious diseases like COVID-19 have gained prominence, long-term health trends reveal significant progress in certain areas. The proportion of neonatal deaths decreased from 6.4 percent in 1990 to 2.7 percent in 2021, reflecting improvements in maternal and child health care. However, challenges persist in addressing malnutrition and hunger, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The Global Hunger Index 2024 identified Somalia, Yemen, and Chad as the countries most affected by hunger and malnutrition, highlighting the ongoing need for targeted interventions in these regions.

The impacts of high ambient temperatures on mortality in humans and domestic animals are well understood. However, much less is known about how hot weather affects mortality in wild animals. High ambient temperatures have been associated with African wild dog Lycaon pictus pup mortality, suggesting that high temperatures might also be linked to high adult mortality. We analysed mortality patterns in African wild dogs radio-collared in Kenya (0°N), Botswana (20°S), and Zimbabwe (20°S), to examine whether ambient temperature was associated with adult mortality. We found that high ambient temperatures were associated with increased adult wild dog mortality at the Kenya site, and there was some evidence for temperature associations with mortality at the Botswana and Zimbabwe sites. At the Kenya study site, which had the highest human impact, high ambient temperatures were associated with increased risks of wild dogs being killed by people, and by domestic dog diseases. In contrast, temperature was not associated with the risk of snare-related mortality at the Zimbabwe site, which had the second-highest human impact. Causes of death varied markedly between sites. Pack size was positively associated with survival at all three sites. These findings suggest that while climate change may not lead to new causes of mortality, rising temperatures may exacerbate existing anthropogenic threats to this endangered species, with implications for conservation. This evidence suggests that temperature-related mortality, including interactions between temperature and other anthropogenic threats, should be investigated in a greater number of species to understand and mitigate the likely impacts of climate change. Methods Study sites We analysed adult African wild dog mortality at three sites: the Ewaso ecosystem, Kenya; the Okavango Delta, Botswana; and Savé Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe. All three study sites fall within semi-arid savanna ecosystems.

Field Data Collection At the Kenya study site 130 African wild dogs (56 female, 74 male) from 41 packs were monitored using either Vectronics GPS collars (GPS Plus, Vectronic Aerospace GmbH), Televilt GPS collars (GPS-Posrec, Televilt, Lindesberg, Sweden), Berlin, Germany), or VHF radio-collars (Telonics, Mesa AZ, USA). All three collar types included a mortality sensor programmed to emit a characteristic radio signal if stationary for ≥4h. At the Zimbabwe study site, 59 African wild dogs (22 female, 37 male) from 34 packs were monitored using either radio collars or GPS collars (African Wildlife Tracking, Rietondale, Pretoria, South Africa). Using radio-collars (Sirtrack, Havelock West, New Zealand) 31 African wild dogs (10 female, 21 male) from 16 packs were monitored at the Botswana site. Collars were fitted using the procedures outlined in McNutt (1996), Woodroffe (2011) and Jackson et al. (2017). At all three sites, packs were located every 1-2 weeks where possible. Any collared animal found dead was carefully examined with the aim of establishing a cause of death. At the Kenya site necropsies were carried out on all dead individuals located. At the Botswana site cause of death was only recorded in cases where the death was directly observed, or during disease outbreaks, and therefore the majority of causes of death were unconfirmed. Most deaths at the Botswana site are likely to be due to natural causes given the low human activity in this area. For all three sites, the date of first detection of a mortality signal from the collar was used to estimate the date of death when not observed directly, and where this was not possible an estimated date of mortality was made based on the date midway between the last sighting, or the last detection of the radio-collar without a mortality signal, and the discovery of the carcass or collar. If any study animal was not observed in its resident pack for over 30 days, no mortality signal was detected, and no carcass was found, it was considered lost from the study and censored from the day of the last observation (Kenya: n=51, Zimbabwe: n=34, Botswana: n=8). If a carcass or collar was discovered more than 30 days after the last sighting (n=2), the animal was considered lost from the study due to the inaccuracy of the date of death and was censored from the date of the last sighting. Group and individual characteristics were recorded at each site. At all three sites dispersal status of the individual was recorded. Individuals were defined as dispersing if they left their pack for multiple days and did not return, otherwise they were defined as resident (Woodroffe et al. 2019b). Group size – either the pack size for resident individuals or the dispersal group size for dispersing individuals – was recorded for each individual, and was defined as the number of adults (>12 months in age) in the group. African wild dog pup-rearing involves the pups being left at a den site for the first three months of life while the majority of the rest of the pack hunt daily, bringing food back to provision the pups. This pup rearing period is referred to as denning. For each pack, denning periods were identified using either direct observations or GPS-collar data. At the Kenya site a number of other individual and pack characteristics were also monitored. Individuals’ alpha status was inferred based on consistent close association with a specific individual of the opposite sex, coordinated scent marking, and reproductive activity; all animals not identified as alpha were considered subdominant. African wild dog age was known for many individuals, otherwise it was estimated from tooth wear when the individual was collared (Woodroffe et al. 2019b). Age range at collaring ranged from 1 to 7 years old (mean: 2.43 ±1.27). The age of the majority of individuals at the Zimbabwe and Botswana sites was not known. Weather data is from weather stations within the field site at Mpala research station at the Kenya site (detailed in Caylor K., Gitonga, J. and Martins 2016), 30km outside the study site at Maun airport for the Botswana site and the Middle Sabi Research Station, 12km from the study area boundary at the Zimbabwe research site.

Data Processing The average mean temperature was taken on a 90 day rolling average at the Kenya and Zimbabwe sites, and a 30 day rolling average at the Botswana site. Rainfall was summed over a 30 day rolling time period at the Kenya and Botswana sites and a 90 day rolling period at the Zimbabwe site.