Data Visualization: Lexis Diagrams and Mortality
Epidemiology and public health are grounded by the use of core demographic statistics, such as mortality rates and life expectancy. Indicators such as mortality rates are usually presented as tables or basic charts; however, there is significant potential in data visualization techniques to improve understanding and dissemination of these statistics. This project aims to use interactive visualizations to interpret Canadian mortality indicators by age, sex, socioeconomic status, and cause of death.
Methods: Visualizations were developed using compositional Lexis surface diagrams, age-wise plots, and plots of small-multiples. Recent and historical data on deaths by age, sex, and selected cause and population counts were sourced from the Human Mortality Database and Statistics Canada Vital Statistics files. Data cleaning and analysis were conducted using R and RStudio, with open-source code shared via GitHub. For each visualization type, interactive applications were developed using Shiny and made available publicly online via open access.
Results: Four interactive Shiny applications were produced: (1) a Lexis Surface Plot from 1921-2022; (2) Small Multiples Plot from 1950-2019; (3) Multiple Lexis Surface Plots from 2002-2021; and (4) Age-Wise Plots 1950-2019 and 2002-2021. Each plot includes written evidence-based descriptions on the association between mortality and other factors. These tools will be useful to provide insight into longitudinal mortality patterns for students, researchers, public health agencies, and the general public.
Conclusion: Interactive visualizations provide enhanced insight into mortality analysis. Visualizations can be modified to include features that improve accessibility for diverse audiences. Future research can expand the use of Lexis diagrams to create applications at disaggregated levels to support health research and policy.
Report: Data Visualization of Complex Health Information
Interactive applications are available via the following links:
- Lexis Surface Plot: Mortality in Canada Based on Sex and Age from 1921-2022
- Small Multiples Plot: Analysis of Sex, Age, and Cause of Death from 1950-2019
- Multiple Lexis Surface Plots: Analysis of Sex, Age, Cause of Death, and Socioeconomic Status from 2002-2021
- Age-Wise Plots: Analysis of Age, Cause of Death, and Socioeconomic Status from 1950-2019 and 2002-2021