Methods for improving the quality and completeness of mortality data for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Am J Public Health
; 104 Suppl 3: S286-94, 2014 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24754557
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
We describe methods used to mitigate the effect of race misclassification in mortality records and the data sets used to improve mortality estimates for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).METHODS:
We linked US National Death Index (NDI) records with Indian Health Service (IHS) registration records to identify AI/AN deaths misclassified as non-AI/AN deaths. Analyses excluded decedents of Hispanic origin and focused on Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA) counties. We compared death rates for AI/AN persons and Whites across 6 US regions.RESULTS:
IHS registration records merged to 176,137 NDI records. Misclassification of AI/AN race in mortality data ranged from 6.3% in the Southwest to 35.6% in the Southern Plains. From 1999 to 2009, the all-cause death rate in CHSDA counties for AI/AN persons varied by geographic region and was 46% greater than that for Whites. Analyses for CHSDA counties resulted in higher death rates for AI/AN persons than in all counties combined.CONCLUSIONS:
Improving race classification among AI/AN decedents strengthens AI/AN mortality data, and analyzing deaths by geographic region can aid in planning, implementation, and evaluation of efforts to reduce health disparities in this population.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Inuit
/
Indians, North American
/
Data Collection
/
Mortality
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
/
Screening_studies
Aspects:
Equity_inequality
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
Am J Public Health
Year:
2014
Document type:
Article