title: The reliability and validity of the age-sex register as a population denominator in general practice.
abstract: I report evidence which raises doubts about the reliability and validity of age-sex registers as true population denominators in general practice in the UK. These have potentially disturbing implications for the interpretation of data based on the presumed precision of age-sex registers. I am undertaking a prospective study to identify and quantify sources of inaccuracy to try to establish a method of estimating the true population at risk and its true age-sex characteristics. This would greatly enhance the utility of the age-sex register as the most valuable tool in general-practice research.
mesh_terms: D005194:Family Practice; D008499:Medical Records; D012106:Research; D014798:Vital Statistics