Out-of-hospital deaths in Mongolia: a nationwide cohort study on the proportion, causes, and potential impact of emergency and critical care services

Background: Little is known about the proportion and causes of out-of-hospital deaths in Mongolia. In this study, we aimed to determine the proportion and causes of out-of-hospital deaths in Mongolia during a six-month observation period before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: In a retrospective study, the Mongolian National Death Registry was screened for all deaths occurring from 01 to 06/2020. The proportion and causes of out-of-hospital deaths, causes of out-of-hospital deaths likely treatable by emergency/critical care interventions, as well as sex, regional and seasonal differences in the proportion and causes of out-of-hospital deaths were determined. The primary endpoint was the proportion and causes of out-of-hospital death in children and adults. Descriptive statistical methods, the Fisher's Exact, multirow Chi²-or Mann-Whitney-U-rank sum tests were used for data analysis.

Findings: Five-thousand-five-hundred-fifty-three of 7762 deaths (71.5%) occurred outside of a hospital. The proportion of out-of-hospital deaths was lower in children than adults (39.3% vs. 74.8%, p < 0.001). Trauma, chronic neurological diseases, lower respiratory tract infections, congenital birth defects, and neonatal disorders were the causes of out-of-hospital deaths resulting in most years of life lost in children. In adults, chronic heart diseases, trauma, liver cancer, poisonings, and self-harm caused the highest burden of premature mortality. The proportion of out-of-hospital deaths did not differ between females and males (70.5% vs. 72.2%, p = 0.09). The proportion (all, p < 0.001; adults, p < 0.001; children, p < 0.001) and causes (adults, p < 0.001; children, p < 0.001) of out-of-hospital deaths differed between Mongolian regions and Ulaanbaatar. The proportion of out-of-hospital deaths was higher during winter than spring/summer months (72.3% vs. 69.9%, p = 0.03). An expert panel estimated that 49.3% of out-of-hospital deaths were likely treatable by emergency/critical care interventions.

Interpretation: With regional and seasonal variations, about 75% of Mongolian adults and 40% of Mongolian children died outside of a hospital. Heart diseases, trauma, cancer, and poisonings resulted in most years of life lost. About half of the causes of out-of-hospital deaths could be treated by emergency/critical care interventions.

Funding: Institutional funding.