What's new?
Over the last several weeks, we have been working to update the data on the Facts on Dying website to ensure that it is as accurate and user-friendly as possible. In doing so, we have made a few changes, including the addition of 2001 data.
Who are the decedents?
The decedents are people 15 years of age or older who died of chronic illness. A chronic illness was defined as any non-traumatic or external cause of death. Death certificates that listed death as a result of any of the following were excluded: pregnancy and childbirth related causes, motor vehicle accidents, all other accidents, suicide, assault homicide, and all other external causes. Foreign residents and those with an unknown site of death were also excluded. Death certificates that listed a site of death as other than a nursing home, hospital, or home were included in the denominator for all calculations.
Is the data standardized?
Both adjusted and unadjusted data for 1989, 1997, and 2001 are shown on this website. Adjusted data are shown whenever comparisons across time or between states are displayed, while unadjusted data are shown whenever information on a single state during one year is given. All adjusted data were standardized for age and gender against the 1990 U.S. census population.
If you have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact us.
As
of May, 2004
