Mortality from liver disease in the West Midlands, 1993-2000: observational study
N C Fisher, J Hanson, A Phillips, J N Rao, and E T Swarbrick
BMJ 2002; 325: 312-313.

The study was set in three adjacent metropolitan boroughs in the West Midlands with a total population of 837 000. Around 8.4% of residents are of south Asian origin (Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi; 1991 census). Deaths from liver disease were identified from public health mortality files supplied by the Office for National Statistics, which we searched using ICD-9 (international classification of diseases, 9th revision) reference codes 570-573, and from files supplied by the registrar of the local health authority. South Asian origin and religion were identified from subjects' names. In cases of deaths from liver disease of unspecified cause (ICD 571.5 and related codes) we analysed case notes to search for underlying causative factors.