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Compressed Mortality File

bullet graphicData release New!
bullet graphicData base description
bullet graphicMortality data file description
bullet graphicPopulation file description
bullet graphicList of data file variables at a glance
bullet graphicData file technical characteristics
bullet graphicGeographic coverage
bullet graphicData availability
bullet graphicDocumentation
bullet graphicExternal Cause of Injury Data
bullet graphicUrban-Rural Classification for Counties
bullet graphicMaps and charts
bullet graphicInteractive Data Bases and Tables

bullet graphicResources
bullet graphicContact

Data release New!
The Compressed Mortality File on CDC WONDER has been updated to include 2005 mortality and population data.

The Compressed Mortality File 1999-2005 Series 20 No. 2K(CMF) on CD-ROM has been released as of March 14, 2008. See Data Availability.

Data base description
The Compressed Mortality File (CMF) is comprised of a county-level national mortality file and a corresponding county–level national population file. Currently, the CMF spans the years 1968- 2004 and is divided into four parts: 1968-78, 1979-88, 1989-98, and 1999-2005. The first two parts are public use files and are available on a CD-ROM (CMF 1968-88 Series 20 No. 2A).  The other two parts can be made available on CD-ROMs to researchers under Part II Use Agreements (CMF 1989-98 Series 20 No. 2E and CMF 1999-2005 Series 20 No. 2K). The CMF, with data for 1979-2005, is also available on CMF WONDER as an online interactive query data base (see Interactive Data Bases and Tables). The CMF is a relatively compact file as it contains only a select set of variables. The CMF permits the calculation of national and sub-national death rates and the examination of mortality trends for age-sex-race groups.

Mortality data file description
Mortality data on the CMF are based on NCHS mortality files that include a record for every death of a U.S. resident recorded in the United States during the period 1968-2005 (except 1972). For 1972, the data are based on a 50 percent sample of deaths and weighted by a factor of 2. The source data records were condensed to 23 bytes by retaining only a select set of variables:  (1) State and county of residence, (2) year of death (rather than the full date of death), (3) race (recoded to white, black, other races), (4) sex, (5) age group at death (specific age recoded to 16 age groups), (6) underlying cause of death (4-digit ICD code), and (7) 69 ICD-8, 72  ICD-9, 113 ICD-10 cause-of-death recode (depending on the data year). The number of records was reduced by aggregating records with identical values for these seven variables and adding a count variable to the aggregate record indicating the number of identical records.

Population file description
The population estimates on the CMF are based on Bureau of the Census estimates of total U.S., State, and county resident populations. The 1968 and 1969 State and county population estimates were calculated by NCHS using linear extrapolation.  The 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000 population estimates are April 1 modified census counts. The estimates for 1971-79, 1981-89, and 1991-99 are intercensal estimates of July 1 resident populations. The 2001-2005 estimates are postcensal estimates of the July 1 resident population. Note that the estimates for 1991-2005 are based on bridge race categories. The population estimates on the CMF are by geographic unit (total United States, State, and county), year, race (white, black, other races), sex, and age group (13 age groups). To permit the calculation of infant mortality rates, NCHS live-birth data are included on the file.

List of data file variables at a glance

Variable Mortality file Population file
FIPS state code Ö Ö
FIPS county code Ö Ö
County name --- Ö
Age group Under 1 day
1-6 days
7-27 days
28-364 days
1-4 years
5-9 years
10-14 years
15-19 years
20-24 years
25-34 years
35-44 years
45-54 years
55-64 years
65-74 years
75-84 years
85+ years
Under 1 year and
live births

1-4 years
5-9 years
10-14 years
15-19 years
20-24 years
25-34 years
35-44 years
45-54 years
55-64 years
65-74 years
75-84 years
85+ years

Race-sex White male
White female
Black male
Black female
Other male
Other female
White male
White female
Black male
Black female
Other male
Other female
Year 1968-2005 1968-2005
ICD code for underlying cause-of-death 1968-78: ICD-8
1979-98: ICD-9
1999-2005: ICD-10
---
Cause-of-death recode 1968-78: 69 causes
1979-98: 72 causes
1999-2005: 113 causes
---

Note: Ö This variable is available on the file.
--- This variable is not available on the file.

Data file technical characteristics

 

Mortality files

Files

Record length

Number of records

1968-78
1979-88
1989-98
1999-2005

23
23
23
23

8,774,864
10,065,467
9,691,181
7,555,974

Population files

Files

Record length Number of records

1968-78
1979-88
1989-98
1999-2005

140
148
148
148

206,712
189,966
191,418
134,082

Geographic coverage
The CMF includes records for the 50 States and the District of Columbia by county of residence.

Data availability
CD-ROMs:
1968-88:    Series 20, No. 2A
1989-98:    Series 20, No. 2E
1999-2005: Series 20, No. 2K
CDC Wonder: (1979-98 and 1999-2005)
See Interactive Data Bases and Tables.

The CMF 1968-88 is a public-use file and available on request. The CMF 1989-98 and CMF 1999-2005 are available to researchers only under Part II Use Agreements.  Users who wish to obtain these two files must submit a written request to NCHS.  All requests should include an explanation of how the file will be used and how the CD-ROMs will be secured. A determination on the request will be made and files released as applicable. Recipients must agree to restrictions regarding use of the file and publication of data from the file to avoid inadvertent disclosure of confidential information.

Documentation
File Documentation for CMF 1999- 2004 Click to open pdf file 235 KB

External Cause-of-Injury Data
Users of the CMF on CDC WONDER can quickly and easily obtain injury deaths and rates according to the external cause-of-injury matrix. Mechanism and intent are separate variables in this new feature of the CMF on CDC WONDER allowing users to tabulate by one or the other, or both. In addition, this new feature allows for comparisons to non-injury causes of death. For additional information about the matrix approach to categorizing injury deaths, see ICE on Injury Statistics.

Urban-Rural Classification for Counties
Users of the CMF on CDC WONDER can obtain death rates and counts (and maps and charts) for counties grouped according to a six-level urban-rural classification scheme. The most urban category in the scheme consists of central counties in metropolitan areas of 1 million or more and the most rural category consists of non-metropolitan counties with no urban clusters of 10,000 or more population. For additional information about the urban-rural classification, please see 2006 NCHS Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties.

Maps and Charts
Users of the CMF on CDC WONDER can quickly and easily obtain maps and charts to graphically display death counts or rates for requested cross tabulations.  Maps are available for either the United States (showing state or county death counts and rates) or for individual states (showing county data).  Bar charts, line charts, and pie charts can be requested for 2-waycross tabulations.

Interactive Data Bases and Tables

bullet graphicCMF on CDC WONDER

bullet graphicHealth Data for All Ages

bullet graphicHealthy People 2010

bullet graphicWISQARS

Resources

bullet graphic2006 NCHS Urban-Rural Classification for Counties

bullet graphicBridged-race population estimates

bullet graphicHealth, United States

bullet graphicJoinpoint Regression Program

bullet graphicNCHS Mortality Data

Contact
Deborah D. Ingram, Ph.D.
Office of Analysis and Epidemiology
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3311 Toledo Rd., Room 6211
Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
(301) 458-4733

 

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This page last reviewed October 15, 2008

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Health Statistics
Hyattsville, MD
20782

1-800-232-4636