Ten-Year Death Trends Related to Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Epilepsy in England and Wales (2014–2023): A Descriptive Analysis of National Death Registration Data

TL;DR

This study analyzed death trends related to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy in England and Wales from 2014 to 2023, finding that dementia-related deaths are increasing and mostly affect older women.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed descriptive analysis of a decade of death registration data for neurological conditions in England and Wales.

Findings

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease accounted for nearly all deaths recorded in the study period.

Mortality rates increased from 2014 to 2018, declined during the pandemic in 2021, and rebounded in 2022 and 2023.

Deaths were predominantly among females and individuals aged ≥80 years.

Abstract

Background: Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy are major neurological conditions contributing to mortality in England and Wales. Recent data suggest increasing dementia‑related deaths, particularly in ageing populations, while epilepsy remains a less frequent but significant cause of premature mortality.

Methods: This descriptive study analyzed national death registration data from the Office for National Statistics between 2014 and 2023. Deaths attributed to dementia (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes, F01, F03, G30) and epilepsy (ICD-10 codes, G40-G41) were included for individuals aged ≥20 years in England and Wales. Data were cleaned, filtered, and analyzed using Stata Statistical Software: Release 18 (StataCorp LLC., College Station, Texas, United States). Frequencies and percentages were calculated using frequency weights to reflect true death counts, and trends were visualized using line and bar graphs.

Results: A total of 622,965 deaths were recorded over the 10‑year period. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease accounted for nearly all deaths (99.98%) as the recorded underlying (primary) cause of death on death certificates, predominantly among females (67.5%) and individuals aged ≥80 years (89.9%). Mortality increased from 2014 (7.7%) to 2018 (11.1%), declined in 2021 (9.2%) during the COVID‑19 pandemic, and rebounded in 2022 (10.5%) and 2023 (10.7%).

Conclusion: Dementia‑related mortality in England and Wales remains high and predominantly affects older women. Targeted prevention, improved care pathways, and continued monitoring of post‑pandemic trends are recommended.

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