[Analysis of the quality of death certificates for neoplasms in the province of Ragusa].
The reliability of the death certificates issued in Ragusa for 379 of the 909 cancer patients registered in 1986 by the Ragusa Cancer Registry, who had died within 31 october 1988, was investigated. Data were available for 365 cases deceased. A consistent proportion (32.8%) of disagreements between diagnosis of the Registry and cause of death reported on death certificate was observed, concerning errors of the second and third digit of ICD-9 (21.9%) and for lack of mention of cancer in the death certificate. The main causes of the loss of information were the issuing of the certificate by a M.D. of the permanent medical ward and not by the family doctor, and the lack of the document released by the hospital upon discharge of the patient, usually containing indication on diagnosis and treatment.
Dipartimento di Igiene e Microbiologia, Università di Palermo.
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Gafà
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Amendola
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Maltese
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Dardanoni
D002423:Cause of Death; D003644:Death Certificates; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D011786:Quality Control
Analisi della qualità dei certificati di morte per neoplasia in provincia di Ragusa.