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Robert N Anderson

Publications and source records attributed to Robert N Anderson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Recent national trends in sudden, unexpected infant deaths: more evidence supporting a change in classification or reporting.

The recent US decline in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) rates may be explained by a shift in how these deaths are classified or reported. To examine this hypothesis, the authors compared cause-specific mortality rates for SIDS, other sudden, unexpected infant deaths, and cause unknown/unspecified, and they evaluated trends in the age and month of death for these causes using 1989-2001 US linked birth/death certificate data. Reported deaths in state and national data were compared to assess underreporting or overreporting. SIDS rates declined significantly from 1989-1991 to 1995-1998, while deaths reported as cause unknown/unspecified and other sudden, unexpected infant deaths, such as accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (ASSB), remained stable. From 1999-2001, the decline in SIDS rates was offset by increasing rates of cause unknown/unspecified and ASSB. Changes in the cause-specific age at death and month of death distributions suggest that cases once reported as SIDS are now being reported as ASSB and cause unknown/unspecified. Most of the decline in SIDS rates since 1999 is likely due to increased reporting of cause unknown/unspecified and ASSB. Standardizing data collection at death scenes and improving the reporting of cause of death on death certificates should improve national vital records data and enhance prevention efforts.

Cause of Death↗

Deaths: injuries, 2002.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents injury mortality data for 2002 using the external-cause-of-injury mortality matrix for the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The external cause matrix is a detailed and comprehensive framework for tabulating and presenting injury deaths by mechanism and intent of death. Data are presented by age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, and State. In addition, trend data are shown for 1999-2002 by age, sex, and mechanism and intent of injury. This report also introduces the injury mortality diagnosis matrix. This latter is another framework that categorizes the nearly 1,200 injury diagnosis codes from ICD-10's chapter 19 according to body region and nature of the injury diagnosis information captured in the multiple-cause-of-death fields of the national mortality file. This report supplements the annual report of final mortality statistics. METHODS: Data in this report are based on information from all death certificates filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia in 2002. Causes of death and nature of injury are processed and coded in accordance with the ICD-10. RESULTS: In 2002, 161,269 resident deaths occurred as the result of injuries. Of these injury deaths, 66.2 percent were classified as unintentional, 19.6 percent were suicides, 10.9 percent were homicides, 3.0 percent were of undetermined intent, and 0.3 percent involved legal intervention or operations of war. The five leading mechanisms of injury death were motor vehicle traffic, firearm, poisoning, falls, and suffocation, accounting for 81 percent of all injury deaths. The rate of poisoning deaths increased by 17.9 percent between 2001 and 2002, but the reader is advised to interpret these numbers cautiously as a portion of this increase is due to stricter procedures concerning data processing that were implemented in 2002. Thirty percent of injuries resulting in death were to the head and neck region with the vast majority of these classified as traumatic brain injury. Injuries involving the whole body system accounted for 28 percent of all injuries mentioned (17 percent were poisoning and 7 percent were other effects of external causes, such as submersion or asphyxiation). CONCLUSIONS: Injury mortality data presented in this report using the external cause-of-injury mortality matrix for ICD-10 provide detail on the mechanism of death needed for research and other activities related to injury prevention. This report highlights the importance of multiple causes-of-death data when analyzing injury mortality--special attention is given to the issue of accuracy and completeness of information as it pertains to these data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is involved in several ongoing projects related to the study of injury and injury mortality.

Adolescent↗

Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975-2002, featuring population-based trends in cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: The American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) collaborate annually to provide information on cancer rates and trends in the United States. This year's report updates statistics on the 15 most common cancers in the five major racial/ethnic populations in the United States for 1992-2002 and features population-based trends in cancer treatment. METHODS: The NCI, the CDC, and the NAACCR provided information on cancer cases, and the CDC provided information on cancer deaths. Reported incidence and death rates were age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population, annual percent change in rates for fixed intervals was estimated by linear regression, and annual percent change in trends was estimated with joinpoint regression analysis. Population-based treatment data were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program registries, SEER-Medicare linked databases, and NCI Patterns of Care/Quality of Care studies. RESULTS: Among men, the incidence rates for all cancer sites combined were stable from 1995 through 2002. Among women, the incidence rates increased by 0.3% annually from 1987 through 2002. Death rates in men and women combined decreased by 1.1% annually from 1993 through 2002 for all cancer sites combined and also for many of the 15 most common cancers. Among women, lung cancer death rates increased from 1995 through 2002, but lung cancer incidence rates stabilized from 1998 through 2002. Although results of cancer treatment studies suggest that much of contemporary cancer treatment for selected cancers is consistent with evidence-based guidelines, they also point to geographic, racial, economic, and age-related disparities in cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer death rates for all cancer sites combined and for many common cancers have declined at the same time as the dissemination of guideline-based treatment into the community has increased, although this progress is not shared equally across all racial and ethnic populations. Data from population-based cancer registries, supplemented by linkage with administrative databases, are an important resource for monitoring the quality of cancer treatment. Use of this cancer surveillance system, along with new developments in medical informatics and electronic medical records, may facilitate monitoring of the translation of basic science and clinical advances to cancer prevention, detection, and uniformly high quality of care in all areas and populations of the United States.

Age Distribution↗

Deaths: leading causes for 2002.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents final 2002 data on the 10 leading causes of death in the United States by age, race, sex, and Hispanic origin. Leading causes of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal death are also presented. This report supplements the annual report of final mortality statistics. METHODS: Data in this report are based on information from all death certificates filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia in 2002. Causes of death classified by the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) are ranked according to the number of deaths assigned to rankable causes. RESULTS: In 2002, the 10 leading causes of death were (in rank order) Diseases of heart; Malignant neoplasms; Cerebrovascular diseases; Chronic lower respiratory diseases; Accidents (unintentional injuries); Diabetes mellitus; Influenza and pneumonia; Alzheimer's disease; Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis; and Septicemia and accounted for about 79 percent of all deaths occurring in the United States. Differences in the rankings are evident by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Leading causes of infant death for 2002 were (in rank order) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities; Disorders related to short gestation and low birthweight, not elsewhere classified; Sudden infant death syndrome; Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy; Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord and membranes; Accidents (unintentional injuries); Respiratory distress of newborn; Bacterial sepsis of newborn; Diseases of the circulatory system; and Intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia. Important variation in the leading causes of infant death is noted for the neonatal and postneonatal periods.

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Deaths: final data for 2002.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents final 2002 data on U.S. deaths and death rates according to demographic and medical characteristics such as age, sex, Hispanic origin, race, marital status, educational attainment, injury at work, State of residence, and cause of death. Trends and patterns in general mortality, life expectancy, and infant and maternal mortality are also described. A previous report presented preliminary mortality data for 2002. METHODS: In 2002 a total of 2,443,387 deaths were reported in the United States. This report presents descriptive tabulations of information reported on the death certificates. Funeral directors, attending physicians, medical examiners, and coroners complete death certificates. Original records are filed in the State registration offices. Statistical information is compiled into a national database through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Causes of death are processed in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10). RESULTS: The age-adjusted death rate for the United States in 2002 was 845.3 deaths per 100,000 standard population, representing a decrease of 1.1 percent from the 2001 rate and a record-low historical figure. Life expectancy at birth rose by 0.1-year to a record high of 77.3 years. Considering all deaths, age-specific death rates rose only for those under 1 year, and declined for a number of age groups including those 1-4 years, 25-34 years, 55-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and 85 years and over. The 15 leading causes of death in 2002 remained the same as in 2001. Heart disease and cancer continued to be the leading and second leading causes of death, together accounting for over half of all deaths. The infant mortality rate in 2002 increased to 7.0 compared with a rate of 6.8 in 2001. CONCLUSIONS: Generally, mortality patterns in 2002 were consistent with long-term trends. Life expectancy in 2002 increased again to a new record level. The age-adjusted death rate declined to a record low historical figure. However, the infant mortality rate increased in 2002. The infant mortality rate has either decreased or remained level each successive year through 2001 since 1958. Trends for homicide and injury at work were interrupted due to the terrorist deaths that occurred September 11, 2001. The homicide rate decreased significantly from 2001 to 2002 and dropped to the 14th leading cause of death. Deaths due to injury at work also declined significantly during this period.

Cause of Death↗

Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975-2001, with a special feature regarding survival.

BACKGROUND: The American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) collaborate annually to provide updated information regarding cancer occurrence and trends in the U.S. This year's report features a special section on cancer survival. METHODS: Information concerning cancer cases was obtained from the NCI, CDC, and NAACCR and information concerning recorded cancer deaths was obtained from the CDC. The authors evaluated trends in age-adjusted cancer incidence and death rates by regression models and described and compared survival rates over time and across racial/ethnic populations. RESULTS: Incidence rates for all cancers combined decreased from 1991 through 2001, but stabilized from 1995 through 2001 when adjusted for delay in reporting. The incidence rates for female lung cancer decreased (although not statistically significant for delay adjusted) and mortality leveled off for the first time after increasing for many decades. Colorectal cancer incidence rates also decreased. Death rates decreased for all cancers combined (1.1% per year since 1993) and for many of the top 15 cancers occurring in men and women. The 5-year relative survival rates improved for all cancers combined and for most, but not all, cancers over 2 diagnostic periods (1975-1979 and 1995-2000). However, cancer-specific survival rates were lower and the risk of dying from cancer, once diagnosed, was higher in most minority populations compared with the white population. The relative risk of death from all cancers combined in each racial and ethnic population compared with non-Hispanic white men and women ranged from 1.16 in Hispanic white men to 1.69 in American Indian/Alaska Native men, with the exception of Asian/Pacific Islander women, whose risk of 1.01 was similar to that of non-Hispanic white women. CONCLUSIONS: The continued measurable declines for overall cancer death rates and for many of the top 15 cancers, along with improved survival rates, reflect progress in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer. However, racial and ethnic disparities in survival and the risk of death from cancer, and geographic variation in stage distributions suggest that not all segments of the U.S. population have benefited equally from such advances.

American Cancer Society↗

Deaths: injuries, 2001.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents injury mortality data for 2001 using the external cause of injury mortality matrix for the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), a detailed and comprehensive framework for tabulating and presenting injury deaths by mechanism and intent of death. Data are presented by age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, and State. This report also presents data on injury deaths classified according to the nature of the injury sustained. Deaths resulting from the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, are presented and the impact of these deaths on the trends in injury mortality is discussed. This report supplements the annual report of final mortality statistics. METHODS: Data in this report are based on information from all death certificates filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia in 2001. Causes of death and nature of injury are processed and coded in accordance with the ICD-10. RESULTS: In 2001, 157,078 resident deaths occurred as the result of injuries. Of these injury deaths, 64.6 percent were classified as unintentional, 19.5 percent were suicides, 12.9 percent were homicides, 2.7 percent were of undetermined intent, and 0.3 percent involved legal intervention or operations of war. The five leading mechanisms of injury death were motor vehicle traffic, firearm, poisoning, falls, and suffocation, accounting for 78 percent of all injury deaths. A head injury was mentioned in 32 percent of injury deaths and was the most commonly mentioned injury condition resulting in death. Poisoning and toxic effects were the second most common, mentioned in 16 percent of injury deaths and were the underlying cause of 14 percent of injury deaths. In 2001, 36,753 deaths (1.6 percent of deaths) had a natural underlying cause of death but included one or more mentions of an external cause on the death certificate. CONCLUSIONS: Injury mortality data presented in this report using the external cause of injury mortality matrix for ICD-10 provide detail on the mechanism of death needed for research and other activities related to injury prevention. This report also highlights the importance of multiple causes of death when analyzing injury mortality data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is involved in several ongoing projects related to the study of injury and injury mortality.

Adolescent↗

Deaths: leading causes for 2001.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents final 2001 data on the 10 leading causes of death in the United States by age, race, sex, and Hispanic origin. Leading causes of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal death are also presented. This report supplements the annual report of final mortality statistics. METHODS: Data in this report are based on information from all death certificates filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia in 2001. Causes of death classified by the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision are ranked according to the number of deaths assigned to rankable causes. RESULTS: In 2001, the 10 leading causes of death were (in rank order) Diseases of heart; Malignant neoplasms; Cerebrovascular diseases; Chronic lower respiratory diseases; Accidents (unintentional injuries); Diabetes mellitus; Influenza and pneumonia; Alzheimer's disease; Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis; and Septicemia and accounted for nearly 80 percent of all deaths occurring in the United States. Differences in the rankings are evident by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Leading causes of infant death for 2001 were (in rank order) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities; Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified; Sudden infant death syndrome; Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy; Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord and membranes; Respiratory distress of newborn; Accidents (unintentional injuries); Bacterial sepsis of newborn; Diseases of the circulatory system; and Intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia. Important variation in the leading causes of infant death is noted for the neonatal and postneonatal periods.

Adolescent↗

Deaths: final data for 2001.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents final 2001 data on U.S. deaths and death rates according to demographic and medical characteristics such as age, sex, Hispanic origin, race, marital status, educational attainment, injury at work, State of residence, and cause of death. Trends and patterns in general mortality, life expectancy, and infant and maternal mortality are also described. A previous report presented preliminary mortality data for 2001. METHODS: In 2001 a total of 2,416,425 deaths were reported in the United States. This report presents descriptive tabulations of information reported on the death certificates. Funeral directors, attending physicians, medical examiners, and coroners complete death certificates. Original records are filed in the State registration offices. Statistical information is compiled into a national database through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Causes of death are processed in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10). RESULTS: The age-adjusted death rate for the United States in 2001 was 854.5 deaths per 100,000 standard population, representing a decrease of 1.7 percent from the 2000 rate and a record low historical figure. Life expectancy at birth rose by 0.2 years to a record high of 77.2 years. Considering all deaths, age-specific death rates rose only for those 25-44 years, and declined for a number of age groups including those under 1 year, 5-14 years, 55-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and 85 years and over. The 15 leading causes of death in 2001 remained the same as in 2000. Heart disease and cancer continued to be the leading and second leading causes of death, together accounting for over half of all deaths. Homicide became the 13th leading cause in 2001, rising from the 14th leading cause in 2000 as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The infant mortality rate remained at a record low level, declining slightly but insignificantly from 6.9 in 2000 to 6.8 in 2001. CONCLUSIONS: Generally, mortality patterns in 2001 were consistent with long-term trends. Life expectancy in 2001 increased again to a new record level. The age-adjusted death rate declined to a record low historical figure. Although statistically unchanged from 2000, the trend in infant mortality has shown a steady, although slowing, decline. The declining trend in the homicide death rate was reversed primarily as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Adolescent↗

Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975-2000, featuring the uses of surveillance data for cancer prevention and control.

BACKGROUND: The American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) collaborate annually to update cancer rates and trends in the United States. This report updates statistics on lung, female breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers and highlights the uses of selected surveillance data to assist development of state-based cancer control plans. METHODS: Age-adjusted incidence rates from 1996 through 2000 are from state and metropolitan area cancer registries that met NAACCR criteria for highest quality. Death rates are based on underlying cause-of-death data. Long-term trends and rates for major racial and ethnic populations are based on NCI and CDC data. Incidence trends from 1975 through 2000 were adjusted for reporting delays. State-specific screening and risk factor survey data are from the CDC and other federal and private organizations. RESULTS: Cancer incidence rates for all cancer sites combined increased from the mid-1970s through 1992 and then decreased from 1992 through 1995. Observed incidence rates for all cancers combined were essentially stable from 1995 through 2000, whereas the delay-adjusted trend showed an increase that had borderline statistical significance (P =.05). Increases in the incidence rates of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men offset a long-term decrease in lung cancer in men. Death rates for all cancer sites combined decreased beginning in 1994 and stabilized from 1998 through 2000, resulting in part from recent revisions in cause-of-death codes. Death rates among men continued to decline throughout the 1990s, whereas trends in death rates among women were essentially unchanged from 1998 through 2000. Analysis of state data for the leading cancers revealed mixed progress in achieving national objectives for improving cancer screening, risk factor reduction, and decreases in mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Overall cancer incidence and death rates began to stabilize in the mid- to late 1990s. The recent increase in the delay-adjusted trend will require monitoring with additional years of data. Further reduction in the burden of cancer is possible but will require the continuation of strong federal, state, local, and private partnerships to increase dissemination of evidence-based cancer control programs to all segments of the population.

Age Distribution↗

Long-term trends in cancer mortality in the United States, 1930-1998.

BACKGROUND: Progress against cancer can be examined by analyzing long-term trends in cancer incidence and mortality. The recent directive from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to adopt the 2000 U.S. standard population for the age adjustment of death rates prompted the American Cancer Society to update historical cancer mortality statistics using the new standard. METHODS: Mortality data were abstracted by race, gender, year, and age at death for 1930 through 1959 from annual volumes of Vital Statistics of the United States. For 1960 through 1998, these data were obtained from data tapes provided by the National Center for Health Statistics. Two U.S. standard million populations (1970 and 2000) were used to calculate age-adjusted rates. Average annual percent change was estimated for each decade by site, gender, and age, and the statistical significance of the change was assessed at p < 0.05. RESULTS: After long-term increases or mostly level trends that date from the 1930s for some sites, death rates for cancers of the lung (in males), prostate, female breast, colon-rectum, pancreas, leukemia, and ovary were decreasing in the 1990s. Liver cancer death rates were increasing in the 1990s. Throughout the study period, death rates for female lung cancer increased, while death rates for stomach and uterine cancers declined. CONCLUSIONS: The trends of decreasing cancer death rates for the leading cancer sites in the 1990s are encouraging. However, surveillance researchers must continue to monitor these declines to assess whether the progress seen in this decade persists. Efforts also must be made to study the sites with increasing trends and identify potential underlying causes.

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The effect of revised populations on mortality statistics for the United States, 2000.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents revised mortality statistics for the year 2000 based on April 1, 2000, population figures from the 2000 census. Death rates are presented by race, Hispanic origin, sex, age, and cause of death. Life expectancies are presented by race (white and black), sex, and age. The revised statistics are compared with previously published statistics that used July 1, 2000, postcensal population estimates based on the 1990 census. METHODS: Data in this report are based on information from all death certificates filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia. The statistics presented in this report are computed on the basis of two sets of population figures provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. The first set includes July 1, 2000, postcensal population estimates based on the 1990 decennial census. The second set includes April 1, 2000, populations from the 2000 decennial census bridged to single race categories. RESULTS: Crude death rates were lower for all groups using the April 1, 2000, populations. Age-specific death rates were generally lower for most age groups, except for infants and the very old for which death rates were higher. Age-specific death rates for males were lower for most age groups, except infants and those 75 years and over. For females, with the exception of infants, age-specific death rates were lower. Race-specific pattems by age for the white and black populations were similar to all races combined. For the American Indian population, age-specific death rates were substantially lower for ages under 75 years. For ages 75 years and over, American Indian death rates were dramatically higher. Age-specific death rates for the Asian or Pacific Islander (API) population were higher for ages under 15 years; lower for ages 15-84 years, especially for the 15-34 year age group; and higher for those 85 years and over. For the Hispanic population, age-specific death rates were substantially lower for those age 15-34 years and higher for those age 55 years and over, especially for those age 85 years and over. For the total white and total black populations, the age-adjusted death rate was somewhat higher for males and lower for females. For API the pattern was reversed. For the American Indian and Hispanic populations, age-adjusted death rates were higher for both males and females. For the 15 leading causes of death, age-adjusted death rates based on the April 1, 2000, population figures were lower for heart disease, cancer, chronic liver disease, septicemia, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, homicide, suicide, and hypertension. Age-adjusted death rates were higher for pneumonitis, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. Rates were unchanged for influenza and pneumonia and nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis. Life expectancy at birth was higher for the entire population and both the white and black populations using the April 1, 2000, population figures. It was 0.1 year higher for the whole population as well as for the total white and total black populations. For the total male population, life expectancy at birth was 0.1 year higher while it was 0.2 years higher for the female population. The increase in life expectancy at birth was 0.1 year for both sexes within the white and black populations. This observed gain in life expectancy at birth based on the revised population figures is reversed for life expectancy at the oldest age groups for the whole population and for males. A similar pattern is observed for both white and black males; however, the magnitude of the decline in life expectancy at older ages is much greater among black males. Among females of both race groups and the total population, there is either no change or an increase in life expectancy in the oldest age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Revised death rates and life expectancies are, in many cases, significantly different from previously published mortality statistics calculated using 1990-based postcensal estimates for 2000. Thus, previously published mortality statistics for 2000 using the 1990-based populations will not be comparable to the corresponding statistics that will be published for 2001. The data in this report will provide comparable 2000 data. Efforts are also underway to revise previously published mortality tables for 2000 as well as previously published data for 1991-99.

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Disease classification: measuring the effect of the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases on cause-of-death data in the United States.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the statistical impact of the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) on cause-of-death data for the United States. ICD-10 was implemented in the U.S. effective with deaths occurring in 1999. The paper is based on cause-of-death information from a large sample of 1996 death certificates filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia. Cause-of-death information in the sample includes underlying cause of death classified by both ICD-9 and ICD-10. Preliminary comparability ratios by cause of death presented in this paper indicate the extent of discontinuities in cause-of-death trends from 1998 to 1999 resulting from implementing ICD-10. For some leading causes (for example, septicaemia, influenza and pneumonia, Alzheimer's disease, and nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis) the discontinuity in trend is substantial. Results of this study, although preliminary, are essential to analysing trends in mortality statistics between ICD-9 and ICD-10. In particular, the results provide a means for interpreting changes between 1998, which is the last year in which ICD-9 was used, and 1999, the year in which ICD-10 was implemented for mortality in the United States. Published in 2003 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cause of Death↗

Increase in deaths caused by HIV infection due to changes in rules for selecting underlying cause of death.

With implementation of the (ICD-10), for U.S. vital statistics in 1999, the criteria for selecting HIV infection as the underlying cause of death were expanded. To estimate the effect of ICD-10 rules on the number of deaths attributed to HIV infection, we applied a simplified version of ICD-10 rules to data on causes of death from all U.S. death certificates for 1998 (previously classified by rules of the 9th revision of ICD [ICD-9]) and calculated the resulting increase in deaths for which HIV infection was selected as the underlying cause. Of the 17,186 deaths in 1998 with any mention of HIV infection on the death certificate, ICD-10 rules selected HIV infection as the underlying cause for 15,145, which was 1,719 (13%) more than the 13,426 for which it had been selected by ICD-9 rules. The proportional increase differed by demographic group, being less among non-Hispanic blacks (9%) and Hispanics (13%) than among non-Hispanic whites (18%). Thus, comparison of deaths attributed to HIV infection in 1999 or later with those in 1998 or earlier should take into account the changes in ICD rules for selecting the underlying cause of death.

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Deaths: leading causes for 2000.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents final 2000 data on the 10 leading causes of death in the United States by age, race, sex, and Hispanic origin. Leading causes of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal death are also presented. This report supplements the annual report of final mortality statistics. METHODS: Data in this report are based on information from all death certificates filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia in 2000. Causes of death classified by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) are ranked according to the number of deaths assigned to rankable causes. RESULTS: In 2000 the 10 leading causes of death were (in rank order) Diseases of heart; Malignant neoplasms; Cerebrovascular diseases; Chronic lower respiratory diseases; Accidents (unintentional injuries); Diabetes mellitus; Influenza and pneumonia; Alzheimer's disease; Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis; and Septicemia and accounted for nearly 80 percent of all deaths occurring in the United States. Differences in the rankings are evidently by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. Leading causes of infant death for 2000 were (in rank order) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities; Disorders related to short gestation and low birthweight, not elsewhere classified; Sudden infant death syndrome; Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy; Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord and membranes; Respiratory distress of newborn; Accidents (unintentional injuries); Bacterial sepsis of newborn; Diseases of the circulatory system; and Intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia. Important variation in the leading causes of infant death is noted for the neonatal and postneonatal periods.

Adolescent↗