Excess deaths from all causes, involving and with dementia as the underlying cause: Scotland 2020-2022

In hospitals, deaths involving dementia and deaths with dementia as the underlying cause were below average in 2020 and 2021, in contrast to deaths from all causes which moved from below average in 2020 to above average in 2021

Deaths involving dementia and deaths with dementia as the underlying cause, in hospital, compared with deaths from all causes

In hospital, in 2020, there were 663 fewer deaths from all causes compared to the 2015-2019 average (-2%). Deaths involving dementia and deaths with dementia as the underlying cause were also below average with -41 (-1%) and -237 (-18%) fewer deaths, respectively.

In 2021, deaths from all causes in hospital exceeded the 2015-2019 average by 991 deaths (+3%). In contrast, deaths involving dementia and deaths with dementia as the underlying cause were below average with -94 (-3%) and -146 (-11%) fewer deaths, respectively.

Deaths involving dementia and COVID-19, in hospital

Deaths involving dementia and COVID-19 in hospital numbered 521 in 2020 and 403 in 2021, whereas excess deaths involving dementia in hospital were below average for both years. This contrasts to all cause excess deaths in hospital, which were above average for 2021. While there is a difference in trend between excess deaths from all causes and excess deaths involving dementia, we cannot comment on reasons behind this difference due to the constraints of this analysis.