Paul D. Frenzen

Mortality Due to Gastroenteritis of Unknown Etiology in the United States

Gastroenteritis of unknown etiology (GUE) is a significant cause of mortality in the United States. In the present study, the demographic and medical characteristics of people who died of GUE were examined, using the 1995-1997 Multiple Cause of Death files to calculate GUE death rates and proportionate mortality ratios. There were 13,153 GUE deaths during the period, or approximately 4400 deaths per year. Death rates were highest among infants and elderly persons, especially nursing home residents, and increased during the winter months. Compared with all decedents, GUE decedents were more likely to have certain other medical conditions, including bacteremia, volume depletion, renal failure, and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Fatal GUE often appeared to be infectious in origin, but death certificates provide insufficient information to determine whether the causative agents were unknown or foodborne. The accuracy of GUE reporting on death certificates and the etiology of fatal GUE merit further investigation.

A Distributional Analysis of the Costs of Foodborne Illness: Who Ultimately Pays?

This paper traces the economic impact of the costs of foodborne illness on the U.S. economy using a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) framework. Previous estimates of the costs of seven foodborne pathogens are disaggregated by type, and distributed across the population using data from the National Health Interview Survey. Initial income losses resulting from premature death cause a decrease in economic activity. Medical costs, in contrast, result in economic growth, though this growth does not outweigh the total costs of premature death. A SAM accounting of how the costs of illness are diffused through the economy provides useful information for policy makers.