Sponsor

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Mode of Administration

Administrative records (death certificates) completed by physicians, coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors are filed with State vital statistics offices; selected statistical information is forwarded to NCHS to be merged into a national statistical file. Beginning with 1989, revised standard certificates replaced the 1978 versions; the next scheduled revision is 2003. Demographic information on the death certificate is provided by the funeral director and is based on information supplied by an informant. Medical certification of cause of death is provided by the physician, medical examiner, or coroner.

Survey Sample Design

NVSS mortality files include data for the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. All deaths occurring in those areas are included (approximately 2.2 to 2.3 million annually). Data for Healthy People 2010 are based only on resident deaths filed in the 50 States and the District of Columbia. Deaths to nonresidents of the United States are not included.

Response Rates

N/A.

Primary Survey Content

Year of death, place of decedent’s residence, place death occurred, age at death, day of week and month of death, Hispanic origin, race, marital status (beginning in 1979), place of birth, gender, underlying and multiple causes of death for all States, injury at work (beginning in 1993), hospital and patient status, educational attainment (beginning in 1989) for selected States, and occupation and industry (beginning in 1984) for selected States.

Population Targeted

The U.S. population.

Demographic Data

Gender, race, Hispanic origin (beginning in 1984), age at death, place of decedent’s residence, educational attainment (beginning in 1989) for selected States, marital status, and industry and occupation for selected States. Race and ethnic origin are separate items on the death certificate. Beginning with 1992 data, California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington reported expanded Asian and Pacific Islander categories of Asian Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Samoan, and Guamanian. The rest of the States reported a combined Other Asian and Pacific Islander category in addition to the categories of white, black, American Indian, Chinese, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Filipino that all States report. As of 1997, all States report Hispanic origin. The categories reported include Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, and Other Hispanic.

Years Collected

The data system began in 1900 but not all States participated before 1933. Coverage for deaths has been complete since 1933.

Schedule

Annual.

Geographic Estimates

National, regional, State, and county. Beginning with 1989 data, some changes were initiated to increase confidentiality protection. Identifying information including date of death and geographic identifiers for counties of less than 100,000 persons are not available for public use.

Contact Information

Data system homepage:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/mortdata.htm

Data system phone: 301-458-4555

Agency homepage:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs

Agency phone: 301-458-4666

References

Hoyert, D.L.; Kochanek, K.D.; and Murphy, S.L. Deaths: Final Data for 1997. National Vital Statistics Reports 19(Suppl. 47). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), 1999.

NCHS. Technical Appendix. Vital Statistics of the United States, 1992. Vol. II, Mortality, Part A. HHS Pub. No. (PHS) 96-1101. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1996.