title: The measurement and interpretation of proportionate mortality.
abstract: The standardized proportionate mortality ratio (SPMR) is shown to be a summary measure which is a weighted average of age-specific proportionate mortality ratios which uses an internally derived set of standard weights. As with any summary measure, the SPMR is only meaningful when the stratum-specific values can be judged to represent a common value. When stratum-specific values are not homogeneous, the use of the stratum-specific values themselves is more appropriate than the use of a summary measure. A test for homogeneity of the age-specific proportionate mortality ratios is presented. The test also provides an estimate of the common value and its variance, when that single parameter can be presumed to exist. A procedure of external standardization is presented which uses weights derived from the standard population.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004194:Disease / Q000209:etiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States