FOI Ref: FOI/2021/3064
You asked
Please supply the number of deaths in the last ten years where dehydration has been stated as the primary or secondary cause on the death certificate.
We said
Thank you for your enquiry requesting deaths involving dehydration for 2011 to 2021 in England and Wales.
2013 - 2020 data
All of the conditions mentioned on the death certificate are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) the coded mortality data available up to end of December 2019 is coded to version 2014 of the ICD10 framework. From all of these causes an underlying cause of death is selected using ICD-10 coding rules. The underlying cause of death is defined by World Health Organisation (WHO) as:
a) the disease or injury that initiated the train of events directly leading to death, or
b) the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury
The following ICD-10 codes are available for deaths involving dehydration.
E86- Dehydration (Volume Depletion/lack of water) It is important in your answer to point out that many diseases (such as burns, diarrhoea, vomiting, bleeding) can cause volume depletion (E86) and not just lack of fluids to drink. Any figures you provide for deaths related to E86 therefore include volume depletion from such causes and do not relate only to dehydration due to lack of drinking water.
Using NOMIS webservice we can provide provides deaths where dehydration (E86) was the underlying cause of death in England and Wales 2013-2020 by five-year age group. Please see the attached excel workbook.
We also hold the following user requested analysis Deaths from dehydration and malnutrition, by place of death, England and Wales, 2014 to 2015 - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
If this does not meet your needs, or you require deaths where dehydration was a contributory mention we may be able to create a custom output if you can specify the specific ICD-10 codes you require.
Information on Deaths registered in England and Wales due to or involving dehydration for 2011 to 2020, along with other special extracts and tabulations of mortality data for England and Wales are available to order (subject to legal frameworks, disclosure control, resources and agreements of costs, where appropriate).
Such enquiries would fall outside of the Freedom of Information regime and should be made to: Health.Data@ons.gov.uk.
2021 data
Whilst we hold the data, we have not yet completed full analysis as it is still in provisional format. Unfortunately, we would be unable to provide you with deaths where dehydration was the underlying or contributory cause in England and Wales 2021. To fulfil this request, we would need to create a bespoke analysis or table. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Public Authorities are not obligated to create information to respond to requests. We therefore consider this to be information not held.