Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method

Abstract Background The study aims to assess two approaches that apply the empirical completeness method to generate age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration systems. Methods We use the empirical completeness method to calculate all-age death registration completeness, wh...

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Main Authors: Tim Adair, Alan D Lopez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-06-01
Series:Population Health Metrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12963-021-00262-3
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spelling doaj-475707cc94cf418faf0061fc445b49da2021-06-13T11:09:48ZengBMCPopulation Health Metrics1478-79542021-06-0119111110.1186/s12963-021-00262-3Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness methodTim Adair0Alan D Lopez1Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of MelbourneInstitute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of WashingtonAbstract Background The study aims to assess two approaches that apply the empirical completeness method to generate age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration systems. Methods We use the empirical completeness method to calculate all-age death registration completeness, which is used with a model life table to generate mortality statistics and age-specific completeness using (1) the conventional method and (2) the equivalent deaths method. The results are compared with a capture-recapture (C-RC) study and three alternative mortality estimates for Brazilian states, and C-RC studies in Thailand, Oman and Vietnam, which independently estimate the level and age pattern of mortality or completeness. Results The empirical completeness method produces similar estimates of all-age completeness of registration to the C-RC studies. Compared with C-RC studies, at 15-59 years, the conventional method’s estimates of mortality and completeness are more concordant, while at 60-84 years the equivalent death method’s estimates are closer. Estimates of life expectancy from the two approaches each have similar concordance with the C-RC studies. For male adult mortality in Brazilian states, there is relatively strong average correlation of this study's estimates with three alternative estimates. Conclusions The two approaches produce mortality statistics from incomplete data that are mostly concordant with C-RC studies, and can be most usefully applied to subnational populations.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12963-021-00262-3MortalityVital statisticsCivil registrationData qualityCompletenessCapture-recapture
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Tim Adair
Alan D Lopez
spellingShingle Tim Adair
Alan D Lopez
Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method
Population Health Metrics
Mortality
Vital statistics
Civil registration
Data quality
Completeness
Capture-recapture
author_facet Tim Adair
Alan D Lopez
author_sort Tim Adair
title Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method
title_short Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method
title_full Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method
title_fullStr Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method
title_full_unstemmed Generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method
title_sort generating age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration data: two applications of the empirical completeness method
publisher BMC
series Population Health Metrics
issn 1478-7954
publishDate 2021-06-01
description Abstract Background The study aims to assess two approaches that apply the empirical completeness method to generate age-specific mortality statistics from incomplete death registration systems. Methods We use the empirical completeness method to calculate all-age death registration completeness, which is used with a model life table to generate mortality statistics and age-specific completeness using (1) the conventional method and (2) the equivalent deaths method. The results are compared with a capture-recapture (C-RC) study and three alternative mortality estimates for Brazilian states, and C-RC studies in Thailand, Oman and Vietnam, which independently estimate the level and age pattern of mortality or completeness. Results The empirical completeness method produces similar estimates of all-age completeness of registration to the C-RC studies. Compared with C-RC studies, at 15-59 years, the conventional method’s estimates of mortality and completeness are more concordant, while at 60-84 years the equivalent death method’s estimates are closer. Estimates of life expectancy from the two approaches each have similar concordance with the C-RC studies. For male adult mortality in Brazilian states, there is relatively strong average correlation of this study's estimates with three alternative estimates. Conclusions The two approaches produce mortality statistics from incomplete data that are mostly concordant with C-RC studies, and can be most usefully applied to subnational populations.
topic Mortality
Vital statistics
Civil registration
Data quality
Completeness
Capture-recapture
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12963-021-00262-3
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