Mortality statistics based on underlying cause of death are challenged by increased life expectancy and the growing share of population reaching ages associated with frequent multi-morbidity (with death likely resulting from interactions between multiple diseases). We provide a novel way of analysing causes of death: accounting for all causes mentioned on death certificates and summarizing this information along two dimensions emblematic of ageing populations—multi-morbidity and frailty. We implement this classification for all deaths at ages 50+ in Italy in 2014. Multi-morbid processes represent the majority of deaths, rising from 43 per cent at ages 50–54 to 63 per cent at ages 85–89. Multi-morbidity at death is more frequent among males, although age patterns are identical for both sexes. About one in four deaths involves frailty symptoms, rising to 45 per cent at ages 95+. Mortality rates involving frailty are very similar for both sexes.

Supplementary material is available for this article at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2020.1820558

基于潜在死因的死亡率统计数据受到预期寿命增加和越来越多的人口达到与频繁的多种疾病相关的年龄的挑战（死亡可能由多种疾病之间的相互作用引起）。我们提供了一种分析死因的新方法：考虑到死亡证明上提到的所有原因，并沿着代表人口老龄化的两个维度——多发病和虚弱——总结这些信息。我们在 2014 年对意大利 50 岁以上的所有死亡实施了这一分类。多病过程占死亡人数的大多数，从 50-54 岁的 43% 上升到 85-89 岁的 63%。尽管两性的年龄模式相同，但男性死亡时的多重发病率更为常见。大约四分之一的死亡涉及虚弱症状，在 95 岁以上时上升到 45%。两性涉及虚弱的死亡率非常相似。

本文的补充材料位于：https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2020.1820558