title: [Geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic differences in quality of data on cause of death in Brazilian elders].
abstract: This study identifies geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic differences in the quality of data on underlying causes of death in the Brazilian elderly population. We used three quality indicators: the proportion of ill-defined causes, the proportion of unspecified causes, and the two proportions combined. We analyzed the main ill-defined and unspecified causes and the association between these indicators and individual characteristics on death certificates (DC) and characteristics of the municipalities. Unspecified causes exceed ill-defined causes, and both increase with age. Schooling, race, size of municipality, and per capita GDP were associated with quality of data (especially with ill-defined as compared to unspecified causes). Having received medical care decreased the odds of cause of death being recorded as ill-defined and increased the odds of unspecified records. Programs to improve quality of information on death certificates should focus on ill-defined and unspecified causes in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. solange.kanso@gmail.com
authors.forename: Solange
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanso
authors.forename: Dalia Elena
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Iúri da Costa
authors.initials: Ida C
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Edgar Nunes de
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Moraes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D003644:Death Certificates; D003710:Demography; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008875:Middle Aged; D011786:Quality Control; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors