To estimate the 2009-2010 death rates, causes, and patterns of mortality in rural Cambodia,
we conducted active, population-based death surveillance in 25 rural villages of Cambodia from
March 2009 to August 2010. Among the population of 28 053 under surveillance, 280 deaths
were reported and explored by physician-certified verbal autopsies, using the International
Classification of Diseases 10, yielding an overall mortality rate (MR) of 6.7/1000 persons-year
(95% CI 5.74-7.68). The MR was 39.1/1000 live births for those younger than 5 years old. Infants
accounted for 5.4% of all deaths. In children younger than 5 years, infectious and parasitic
diseases were the leading causes of death. In children 5 to 14 years, 3 out of 4 deaths were
due to injuries. Adult deaths were mainly attributed to noncommunicable diseases (52%). We
conclude that this rural population is facing a substantial burden of noncommunicable diseases
while still struggling with infectious diseases, respiratory diseases in particular