REVIEW OF VITAL STATISTICS

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REVIEW OF VITAL STATISTICS
Brady E. Hamilton, Ph.D. Reproductive Statistics
Branch and Elizabeth Arias, Ph.D. Mortality
Statistics Branch
Division of Vital Statistics National Center for
Health Statistics
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VITAL STATISTICS
Relationship between vital statistics and
population estimates   Source of vital
statistics   Race and Hispanic origin on birth
and death certificates  
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VITAL STATISTICS (cont.)

• Vital statistics data by race and Hispanic origin
• Accuracy of race and Hispanic origin data on
  vital records 
• Future developments

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VITAL STATISTICS AND
POPULATION ESTIMATES
Population estimates are based in part on vital
statistics data on births and deaths   PT1
PT0 BT1-0 - DT1-0 IT1-0 - ET1-0   Vital
rates construction depends on population
estimates by demographic characteristics   Rate
Demographic Event/Population
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SOURCE OF VITAL STATISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES
National vital statistics are State-based,
as vital registration is not a Federal function
stipulated by the Constitution.   Vital
statistics is a cooperative system with common
data standards, definitions, and reporting
requirements.  

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SOURCE OF VITAL STATISTICS IN THE US (cont.)

• U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth and U.S.
  Standard Certificate of Death are revised
  approximately every ten years.
• Core items are the same among States, but other
  items may be included.

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RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN ITEMS ON VITAL RECORDS
Birth certificate - Items 26 and 25.
Information provided by mother   Death
certificate - Items 15 and 14. Information
provided to funeral director by an informant,
usually a family member but sometimes inferred by
funeral director from observation

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VITAL STATISTICS DATA ON RACE
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VITAL STATISTICS DATA ON HISPANIC ORIGIN
Hispanic Origin Cuban Mexican Puerto
Rican South or Central American Unknown
Hispanic Origin
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ACCURACY OF RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN DATA ON
VITAL RECORDS
Births   Comparability study of birth
certificates and the 1988 NMIHS found agreement
Race 98 percent for mothers and fathers
race Hispanic Origin 98 percent for mothers,
and 96-98 percent for fathers.

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ACCURACY OF RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN DATA ON
VITAL RECORDS

• Deaths
• Comparability study of death certificates and the
  Current Population Surveys of 1979-89 found net
  comparisons, expressed as ratio of CPS/dc

White 1.00 Black
1.00 American Indian 1.37 API
1.13 Hispanic Origin 1.07
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FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
New standard certificates planned for
implementation in the year 2003 by the
States.   Race and Hispanic Origin items on the
new standard certificates parallel those used in
the Year 2000 Census.
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FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS (cont.)

• A few States will implement new race and
  ethnicity items before 2003, which can provide
  the basis for assessment of the new items. 
• NCHS is working on edit and tabulation
  specifications similar to those of the Census in
  order to maximize comparability.

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FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS (cont.)
Issues Quality assessment   Goal To produce
vital rates and population estimates for which
race and ethnicity match one another as closely
as possible.