Linkages to improve mortality data for American Indians and Alaska Natives: A new model for death reporting?

• Main Authors: Anderson, R.N., Copeland, G., Hayes, J.M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Indian; inuit; inuits; Alaska
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301647

Racial misclassification is a well-documented weakness of mortality data taken from death certificates. As a result, mortality statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) present, at best, an inaccurate and misleading assessment of mortality in this population. Studies evaluating the quality of race/ethnicity reporting on death certificates have linked data from death certificates to other data sources collected when the decedent was still alive (e.g., Census, Current Population Survey). Such studies have shown substantial misclassification of AI/AN decedents. Despite limitations, linkingmortality data fromdeath certificates with data from other sources collected when decedents were living provides opportunities to evaluate and correct misclassificationofpopulations such as AI/AN persons and facilitatesthecalculationand presentation of more accurate mortality statistics. American Indian; article; cause of death; death certificate; ethnology; health survey; human; information processing; Inuit; mortality; statistics; United States, Alaska; Cause of Death; Data Collection; Death Certificates; Humans; Indians, North American; Inuits; Mortality; Population Surveillance