Premature Mortality during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh

Ahbab Mohammad Fazle Rabbi, Department of Population Sciences, University of Dhaka

The impact of sudden epidemics is often reflected across different stages of the lifespan, leading to increased mortality rates in affected populations. The COVID-19 pandemic, a major global health crisis, has significantly disrupted the ongoing trend of global mortality reduction. Although COVID-19 fatality rates increase with age, the pandemic has affected all age groups, leading to an increase in premature mortality on a global scale. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on premature mortality specifically in Bangladesh during the years 2020 and 2021. Using data from the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects, we analyzed both absolute and relative measures of premature mortality to evaluate the effects of excess mortality. Our analysis revealed a decrease in premature mortality for Bangladeshi males in 2020, which continued the trend of mortality transition, followed by an increase in 2021. In contrast, premature mortality increased for Bangladeshi females during both years. The findings suggest that relative measures of premature mortality were more sensitive to changes in excess mortality compared to absolute measures. Additionally, the cut-off age remained a critical factor in accurately estimating absolute premature mortality.

Keywords: Decomposition analysis, Mortality and Longevity, Population, Shocks and Pandemics, Mathematical demography

See paper.