Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a large number of deaths and continues to claim many lives, with the death rate being highest among the most vulnerable groups in society. The aim of the present work is to analyse the adjusted death rates in both the dependent population included in the dependent care system in Castilla-La Mancha and those in residential care. Additionally, the study examines the years of life lost as a result of excess mortality.

The data were extracted from the administrative database on individuals included in Castilla-La Mancha's dependent care system. Information was also collected from the Spanish National Death Index administered by the Ministry of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare. We calculated the weekly mortality rate in relation to the total number of dependent persons, the excess mortality and the years of life lost over the estimated excess mortality in dependent persons for the period between March and June 2020.

The results show that dying between March and June 2020 was positively associated with being male; being older than 65, with an especially high impact in the group aged over 90; having a higher level of dependency; living in a care home; and living in the province of Ciudad Real.

These findings are important with a view to enhancing protocols for the care of the most vulnerable population groups.

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