Report on the 2003 revision of the US standard certificate of death

Citation
Gg. Davis et At. Onaka, Report on the 2003 revision of the US standard certificate of death, AM J FOREN, 22(1), 2001, pp. 38-42
Citations number
7
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY
ISSN journal
01957910 → ACNP
Volume
22
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
38 - 42
Database
ISI
SICI code
0195-7910(200103)22:1<38:ROT2RO>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is responsible for publish ing Standard Certificates of Birth and Death for the United States of Ameri ca. The standard certificates are revised roughly every 10 years. The revis ion process is designed to ensure that the standard certificates meet, as n early as possible, the use for which they are intended at all levels: indiv idual, local, state, and federal. The authors report on the most recent rev ision of the U.S. Standard Certificate of Death, recording the process and the role of the National Association of Medical Examiners in the process. C hanges recommended during revision include requesting known aliases of a de cedent and rearrangement of the certificate to provide more room for those items requesting dates and for describing how the injury occurred. New item s have been added asking for information regarding traffic fatalities, the role of tobacco use in causing death, and whether female decedents were pre gnant. Once approved by the Department of Health and Human Services, the ne w standard certificate will be made available to the states. Each state wil l have 2 years to adapt the U.S. Standard Certificate of Death to its use a nd to implement new state death certificates on January 1, 2003.