D. Armstrong et al., RACE DIFFERENCES IN ESTIMATES OF SUDDEN CORONARY HEART-DISEASE MORTALITY, 1980-1988 - THE IMPACT OF ILL-DEFINED DEATH, Journal of clinical epidemiology, 49(11), 1996, pp. 1247-1251
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath","Medicine, General & Internal
Coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths occurring outside of hospitals or
in emergency rooms (OH/ER) have been used to estimate sudden CHD morta
lity. This study quantifies the potential impact of natural deaths cod
ed to an unspecified cause on race differences in sudden CHD estimates
, during 1980-1988. Death certificate data for OH/ER deaths in 40 U.S.
states were used to create annual age adjusted rates for sudden CHD a
nd sudden CHD rates revised to include deaths with an unspecified caus
e (ICD9, 780-799). Revising the mortality rates to include unspecified
deaths results in greater racial disparities for estimates of sudden
CHD. In 1980, black-white rate differences went from 89 to 128 and 103
to 121 (per 100,000) for men and women, respectively, with revision.
Among blacks, revised sudden CHD mortality declined approximately 22%,
during 1980-1988, compared to 19% for unrevised sudden CHD; with no o
bserved effect of revision on percent declines among whites. Previous
studies may have underestimated declines in racial disparities of sudd
en CHD, due to improved quality of OH/ER death certification among bla
cks. Improved access to routine and emergency medical care, through in
creased affordability and greater availability, may be important to ad
dress higher OH/ER CHD among blacks.