Abstract: ObjectiveTo understand the death cause pattern of the hospitalized death cases in Dushan county and provide scientific evidence for the disease prevention and control. MethodsThe analysis was conducted on the underlying dearth causes of 296 death cases in Dushan Peoples Hospital from 2004 to 2008. ResultsThe death cases in the hospital accounted for 0.75% of the discharged (39465 persons) during the same period. There were 193 male death cases and 103 female death cases (gender ratio: 1.87:1). Sixty nine death cases were the children under 5 years old (23.31%), among them 34 were the newborns (49.28% of the deaths under 5 years old); 25 were the people aged 5-19 years (8.45%); 96 were the people aged 20-49 (32.43%); 59 were the people aged 50-69 years (19.93%) and 47 were the people aged over 70 years (15.88%). The first underlying death cause was injury, followed by nervous system disease, respiratory disease, medical conditions originated from perinatal period and circulatory disease. ConclusionThe impact of injury on peoples health are more striking; the deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease increased year by year and respiratory disease as well as medical conditions originated from perinatal period should not be neglected. According to the major death causes in hospital, the priorities of health care should include the active conduction of injury prevention and three level prevention of chronic disease, improving the maternal/child health care and increasing the diagnostic level of neonatal disease.