Abstract

KANSO, Solange; ROMERO, Dalia Elena; LEITE, Iúri da Costa  and  MORAES, Edgar Nunes de. Geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic differences in quality of data on cause of death in Brazilian elders. Cad. Saúde Pública [online]. 2011, vol.27, n.7, pp. 1323-1339. ISSN 0102-311X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-311X2011000700008.

This study identifies geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic differences in the quality of data on underlying causes of death in the Brazilian elderly population. We used three quality indicators: the proportion of ill-defined causes, the proportion of unspecified causes, and the two proportions combined. We analyzed the main ill-defined and unspecified causes and the association between these indicators and individual characteristics on death certificates (DC) and characteristics of the municipalities. Unspecified causes exceed ill-defined causes, and both increase with age. Schooling, race, size of municipality, and per capita GDP were associated with quality of data (especially with ill-defined as compared to unspecified causes). Having received medical care decreased the odds of cause of death being recorded as ill-defined and increased the odds of unspecified records. Programs to improve quality of information on death certificates should focus on ill-defined and unspecified causes in the elderly.

Keywords : Death Certificates; Underlying Cause of Death; Aged.