Survey
description
Mortality public-use data by underlying cause of death include all deaths
occurring within the United States. Beginning in 1994, the same detail is
available as separate data sets in the public-use file for Puerto Rico,
the Virgin Islands, and Guam. Deaths of U.S. citizens and deaths of
members of the Armed Forces occurring outside the United States are not
included.
Data
file description
Data are obtained from certificates filed for deaths occurring in each
State. Data were obtained from all certificates for 1968-71 and 1973-97
and from a 50-percent sample of certificates for 1972. Causes of death for
1968-78 were coded according to the Eighth Revision, International
Classification of Diseases, Adapted for Use in the United States. Causes
of death for 1979-96 were coded according to the International
Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision.
Three underlying
cause-of-death data tape files are available for each year 1968 through
1988. The detailed files for these data years, except for 1972, include
one tape record for each death that occurred. For 1972, the file includes
one tape record for each death in the 50-percent sample. Death certificate
numbers are not on the tapes. Data on the local-area summary files
and the cause-of-death summary files have been weighted and represent a
total count of deaths.
One data tape file is
available for each year 1989 through 1997 from NTIS. The detailed file
format is for a single calendar year and includes data for cities,
counties, and metropolitan areas with a population of 100,000 or more. The
day of death, date of birth of decedent, and the death certificate numbers
are excluded from this file. NCHS does not distribute certificates, files,
or indexes with identifying information for deaths. Please refer to the
section of the home page on "How
to obtain birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates."
Detail
file (1989-97)
Data year
Residence of decedent1
State2
County2,3
City3
Population
size
Standard
Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA)2,3
Metropolitan
and nonmetropolitan counties
Age at death:
Infants
under 1 year (hours, days, months)
Ages
1 year and over (single years)
Autopsy performed (1989-94)
Day of week
Education (single years, 0-17)4
Hispanic origin4
Hospital (including status of decedent) and other type of place of death
Industry or business5
Injury at work (beginning 1993)
Month of death
Marital status
Occupation (usual)5
Place of birth (State and eight categories outside of the
United
States)
Place of death (State,2,3
county2,3)
Race (nine categories)6
Sex
State of birth
Underlying cause of death:7
Each
cause
____________________________________________________ 1Place
of residence for decedents who were nonresidents of the United States has
been coded to country of residence. 2Includes FIPS codes as well as National Center for Health
Statistics codes. 3Includes data for areas with a population of 100,000 persons
or more. 4Applicable only for those States having information on the
certificate. 5Applicable only for those States transmitting information to
NCHS. 6Beginning 1992, additional categories are available for some
States. 7Causes of death for 1989-97 were coded according to the
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision.
Detail file
(1979-88)1
Data year
Residence of decedent:2
State3
County3
City
(100,000 persons or more)3
Population
size
Standard
metropolitan statistical area3
Metropolitan/nonmetropolitan
counties
Age at death:
Infants
under 1 year (hours, days, months)
Ages
1 year and over (single years)
Autopsy performed
Day of death
Hispanic origin or descent (1984-88)4
Hospital and patient status
Industry or business (1985-88)5
Month of death
Marital status
Occupation (usual) (1985-88)5
Place of accident
Place of birth (State and eight categories outside
of
the United States)
Place of death (State,3
county3)
Race (nine categories)
Sex
State of birth
Underlying cause of death:6
Each cause
Local area
summary file (1979-88)7
Stub variables1
Data year
Residence of decedent:2
State3
County3
City
(10,000 persons or more)3
Population
size
Standard
metropolitan statistical area3
Metropolitan/nonmetropolitan
counties
Month of death
Race (three categories)
Sex
Underlying cause of death:6
Recoded
to 72 cause-of-death groups
Recoded
to 34 cause-of-death groups
Spread variable1
Total number of deaths:
Occurrence
Residence
Cause-of-death
summary file (1979-88)7 Data year
Residence of decedent:2
State3
County3
Standard
metropolitan statistical area3
Metropolitan/nonmetropolitan
counties
Age
Autopsy performed
Day of death
Hospital and patient status
Marital status
Month of death
Hispanic origin or descent (1984-88)4
Place of accident
Place of birth (State and eight categories outsideof
the United States)
Race (nine categories)
Sex
Underlying cause of death:6
Each
Recoded
to 282 cause-of-death groups
Recoded
to 72 cause-of-death groups
Recoded
to 61 cause-of-death groups
Recoded
to 34 cause-of-death groups
Total number of residence deaths
________________________________________________ 1All
data items in the detail file are in EBCDIC code. The stub portion of all
summary records consists of EBCDIC codes, and the spread portion consists
of a series of full-word binary fields containing numbers of deaths. 2Place of residence for decedents who were nonresidents of the
United States has been coded to country of residence (eight categories).
The cause-of-death summary excludes data for nonresidents of the United
States. 3FIPS codes as well as NCHS codes beginning in 1982. 4Applicable only for those States having information on the
certificate. 5Applicable only for those States transmitting information to
NCHS. 6Causes of death for 1979-88 were coded according to the
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision. 7Variables within a given stub may be cross-tabulated with one
another and must be cross-tabulated with at least one stub variable;
variables within a given spread may not be cross-tabulated with one
another.
Detail file
(1968-78)1
Data year
Residence of decedent:2
State
County
City
(250,000 persons or more)
Population
size
Standard
metropolitan statistical area
Metropolitan/nonmetropolitan
counties
Age at death (single years)
Month of death
Day of death (1972-78)
Place of death (State, county)
Race:
Seven
categories (1968)
Nine
categories (1969-78)
Sex
Underlying cause of death:3
Each
cause
Whether autopsy performed (1972-78)
Whether findings used (1972-77)
Local area
summary file (1968-78)
Stub variables1
Residence of decedent:2
State
County
City
(10,000 persons or more)
Population
size
Standard
metropolitan statistical area
Metropolitan/nonmetropolitan
counties
Underlying cause of death:3
Recoded
to 69 cause-of-death groups
Recoded
to 34 cause-of-death groups
State of residence2
Sex
Race:
Seven
categories (1968)
Nine
categories (1968-78)
Underlying cause of death:3
Each
cause
Recoded
to 281 cause-of-death groups
Recoded
to 69 cause-of-death groups
Age at death:
5-year
age groups
Single
years under 5 years of age
Under 1 year:
Less
than 1 day
1-6
days
7-27
days
1-11
months
Month of death
__________________________________________________ 1All
data items in the detail file are in EBCDIC code. The stub portion of all
summary records consists of EBCDIC codes, and the spread portion consists
of a series of full-word binary fields containing numbers of deaths. 2Beginning in 1970 the place of residence for decedents who
were nonresidents of the United States has been coded to the county of
residence (eight categories). Formerly these deaths were considered
resident deaths of the place of occurrence. The local area and
cause-of-death summaries exclude data for nonresidents of the United
States. 3Causes of death for 1968-78 were coded according to the Eighth
Revision, International Classification of Diseases, Adapted for Use in the
United States.
Data
file technical characteristics
The detail, local
area summary, and cause-of-death
data files are fixed length blocked files. Beginning 1994, the
mortality data for Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are provided
as separate data sets on the file.
Detail
file
Data
year
Record
length
Block
size
Number
of
records
1997
159
23,850
2,317,586
1996
159
23,850
2,318,212
1995
159
23,850
2,315,255
1994
159
23,850
2,282,288
1993
159
23,850
2,271,947
1992
159
23,850
2,179,187
1991
159
23,850
2,173,060
1990
159
23,850
2,151,890
1989
159
23,850
2,153,859
1988
159
23,850
2,171,196
1987
159
23,850
2,126,342
1986
159
23,850
2,108,384
1985
159
23,850
2,089,378
1984
159
23,850
2,042,304
1983
159
23,850
2,022,190
1982
159
23,850
1,977,957
1981
159
23,850
1,981,309
1980
159
23,850
1,993,137
1979
159
23,850
1,916,776
1978
160
23,850
1,930,627
1977
160
3,200
1,902,106
1976
160
3,200
1,911,907
1975
160
3,200
1,895,135
1974
160
3,200
1,936,476
1973
160
3,200
1,975,126
1972
160
3,200
983,001
1971
160
3,200
1,929,476
1970
160
3,200
1,922,966
1969
160
3,200
1,921,990
1968
160
3,200
1,930,082
150-percent
sample.
Puerto
Rico, Virgin Islands, and Guam data sets
Data
year
Record
length
Block
size
Number
of
records
1997
159
23,850
30,848
1996
159
23,850
31,055
1995
159
23,850
31,483
1994
159
23,850
29,666
Local
area summary
Data
year
Record
length
Block
size
Number
of
records
1988
78
23,400
1,419,061
1987
78
23,400
1,392,376
1986
78
23,400
1,380,666
1985
78
23,400
1,367,521
1984
78
23,400
1,344,788
1983
78
23,400
1,333,131
1982
78
23,400
1,309,643
1981
78
23,400
1,288,007
1980
78
23,400
1,290,697
1979
78
23,400
1,257,003
1978
28
1,400
182,198
1977
28
1,400
181,190
1976
28
1,400
184,048
1975
28
1,400
184,006
1974
28
1,400
184,764
1973
28
1,400
186,780
1972
28
1,400
149,469
1971
28
1,400
186,924
1970
28
1,400
188,963
1969
28
1,400
180,647
1968
28
1,400
181,228
Cause
of death summary
Data
year
Record
length
Block
size
Number
of
records
1988
85
25,500
2,165,733
1987
85
25,500
2,120,907
1986
85
25,500
2,102,916
1985
85
25,500
2,083,851
1984
85
25,500
2,036,796
1983
85
25,500
2,016,527
1982
85
25,500
1,972,218
1981
85
25,500
1,974,948
1980
85
25,500
1,986,633
1979
85
25,500
1,910,807
1978
194
1,940
179,944
1977
194
1,940
177,974
1976
194
1,940
178,814
1975
194
1,940
179,144
1974
194
1,940
179,170
1973
194
1,940
180,490
1972
194
1,940
136,882
1971
194
1,940
181,416
1970
194
1,940
182,762
1969
194
1,940
182,670
1968
194
1,940
182,268
Geographic
coverage
Place of death is classified by State and county. In residence
classification, all deaths are allocated to the usual place of residence
as reported on the death certificate and are classified by State, county,
and city.
For data
years 1968-78, cities of 250,000 persons or more are classified. Beginning
with 1979, cities of 100,000 persons or more are classified.
Geographic
classification is as follows:
Data
year
Census
enumeration
1994-97
1990
1982-93
1980
1970-81
1970
1968-69
1960
Data
availability Mortality
data are collected annually. Underlying cause-of-death data are only
available on tape. However,Multiple
cause-of-death data are available on CD-ROM for data
years 1992-94.
File Type
Availability
Detail
1968-97
Local
area summary
1968-88
State
summary
1968-88
Customized data
tapes
Additional tapes for 1989-97 are sold directly by NCHS to researchers
whose needs for data cannot be met by the public-use data file sold
through NTIS. Requests for tapes with more detail must be in writing and
mailed to:
Director, Division of
Vital Statistics
National Center for Health Statistics
3311 Toledo Road, Floor 7
Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
All requests for
additional data should include a list of the specific data items that are
needed and an explanation of how the tapes will be used. The Director will
make a determination on the request and release data tapes as applicable.
However, recipients must agree to additional restrictions to avoid
possible inadvertent disclosure of confidential information.
Ordering
information
The Mortality, Underlying Cause-of-Death, Detail,
Local area summary, and Cause-of-Death
summary data tapes
can only be purchased through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS).
The NTIS order numbers and prices are as follows:
Data on tape
(Detail file)
Data
year
NTIS
order no.
Price
1997
forthcoming
$0.00
1996
PB99-500290
742.00
1995
PB97-503098
742.00
1994
PB97-502405
742.00
1993
PB96-501853
742.00
1992
PB95-502332
742.00
1991
PB93-506889
742.00
1990
PB93-504777
742.00
1989
PB92-504554
742.00
1988
PB91-506626
1,317.00
1987
PB90-500133
1,317.00
1986
PB89-121180
1,317.00
1985
PB88-101316
1,317.00
1984
PB87-129706
1,317.00
1983
PB86-120441
1,317.00
1982
PB85-163897
1,317.00
1981
PB84-213016
1,317.00
1980
PB83-261552
1,317.00
1979
P883-132357
1,317.00
1978
PB81-125106
1,317.00
1977
PB-300798
1,455.00
1976
PB-300811
1,593.00
1975
PB-300809
1,593.00
1974
PB-300807
1,593.00
1973
PB-300805
1,593.00
1972
PB-300885
891.00
1971
PB-300802
1,455.00
1970
PB-299679
1,455.00
1969
PB-299676
1,455.00
1968
PB-300800
1,593.00
Data
on tape (Local area summary file)
Data
year
NTIS
order no.
Price
1988
PB91-506642
$604.00
1987
PB90-500158
604.00
1986
PB89-121586
604.00
1985
PB88-101357
604.00
1984
PB87-125639
604.00
1983
PB86-120482
604.00
1982
PB85-163913
604.00
1981
PB84-212992
604.00
1980
PB83-261636
604.00
1979
P883-143230
604.00
1978
PB81-100232
305.00
1977
PB80-131675
305.00
1976
PB80-134117
305.00
1975
PB80-134158
305.00
1974
PB80-126683
305.00
1973
PB80-133374
305.00
1972
PB80-126667
305.00
1971
PB80-126642
305.00
1970
PB80-108749
305.00
1969
PB80-126618
305.00
1968
PB-238827
305.00
Data
on tape (Cause-of-Death summary)
Data
year
NTIS
order no.
Price
1988
PB91-506634
$305.00
1987
PB90-500141
742.00
1986
PB89-121602
742.00
1985
PB88-101332
891.00
1984
PB87-129680
891.00
1983
PB86-120466
891.00
1982
PB85-163764
742.00
1981
PB84-213032
742.00
1980
PB83-261578
742.00
1979
PB83-132373
604.00
1978
PB81-100257
454.00
1977
PB80-126592
454.00
1976
PB80-134091
454.00
1975
PB80-134133
454.00
1974
PB80-133291
454.00
1973
PB80-126576
454.00
1972
PB80-133275
305.00
1971
PB80-133317
454.00
1970
PB80-133333
454.00
1969
PB80-133358
454.00
1968
PB80-126550
454.00
Documentation
contents
Each data tape package contains the necessary documentation, including
tape content and technical information, needed to access the data. Control
total tables are also included.
Contact
Mortality Statistics Branch
Division of Vital Statistics
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3311 Toledo Road, Floor 7
Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
(301) 458-4111