| 1. Peer Reviewed Title: Emergence of a peak in early infant mortality due to HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Author: Bourne DE; Thompson M; Brody LL; Cotton M; Draper B; Laubscher R; Abdullah MF; Myers JE Source: AIDS. 2009 Jan 2;23(1):101-6. Abstract: OBJECTIVES: South Africa has among the highest levels of HIV prevalence in the world. Our objectives are to describe the distribution of South African infant and child mortality by age at fine resolution, to identify any trends over recent time and to examine these trends for HIV-associated and non HIV-associated causes of mortality. METHODS: A retrospective review of vital registration data was conducted. All registered postneonatal deaths under 1 year of age in South Africa for the period 1997-2002 were analysed by age in months using a generalized linear model with a log link and Poisson family. RESULTS: Postneonatal mortality increased each year over the period 1997-2002. A peak in HIV-related deaths was observed, centred at 2-3 months of age, rising monotonically over time. CONCLUSION: We interpret the peak in mortality at 2-3 months as an indicator for paediatric AIDS in a South African population with high HIV prevalence and where other causes of death are not sufficiently high to mask HIV effects. Intrauterine and intrapartum infection may contribute to this peak. It is potentially a useful surveillance tool, not requiring an exact cause of death. The findings also illustrate the need for early treatment of mother and child in settings with very high HIV prevalence. Language: English Keywords: SOUTH AFRICA | RESEARCH REPORT | EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS | RETROSPECTIVE STUDIES | LINEAR REGRESSION | INFANT | PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS | INFANT MORTALITY | AIDS | CAUSES OF DEATH | CHILD MORTALITY | VITAL STATISTICS | MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION | DEATH RATE | AGE SPECIFIC DEATH RATE | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Research Methodology | Studies | Statistical Regression | Data Analysis | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Persons Living With HIV/AIDS | HIV Infections | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Population Statistics | Transmission | Infections Document Number: 330334 |
2.  Title: [Trends in sex ratio at birth according to parental social positions: results from vital statistics birth, 1981-2004 in Korea] Author: Chun H; Kim IH; Khang YH Source: Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. 2009 Mar;42(2):143-50. Abstract: OBJECTIVES: South Korea has experienced unprecedented ups and downs in the sex ratio at birth (SRB), which has been a unique phenomenon in the last two decades. However, little is known about socioeconomic factors that influence the SRB. Employing the diffusion theory by Rogers, this study was undertaken to examine the trends in social variations in the SRB from 1981 to 2004 in Korea. METHODS: The data was taken from Vital Birth Statistics for the period from 1981-2004. We computed the annual male proportion of live births according to the parental education (university, middle/high school, primary) and occupation (non-manual, manual, others). Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the odds ratios of male birth according to social position for the equidistant three time periods (1981-1984, 1991-1994, and 2001-2004). RESULTS: An increased SRB was detected among parents with higher social position before the mid 1980s. Since then, however, a greater SRB was found for the less educated and manual jobholders. The inverse social gradient for the SRB was most prominent in early 1990s, but the gap has narrowed since the late 1990s. The mother's socioeconomic position could be a sensitive indicator of the social variations in the sex ratio at birth. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the relationship of parental social position with the SRB were detected during the 1980-2004 in Korea. This Korean experience may well be explained by diffusion theory, suggesting there have been socioeconomic differences in the adoption and spread of sex-detection technology. Language: Korean Keywords: DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA | RESEARCH REPORT | VITAL STATISTICS | SEX RATIO | SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS | Developing Countries | Asia, Eastern | Asia | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Sex Distribution | Sex Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Economic Factors Document Number: 341819 |
3.  Title: Births: preliminary data for 2007. Author: Hamilton BE; Martin JA; Ventura SJ Source: National Vital Statistics Reports. 2009 Mar 18;57(12):1-23. Abstract: Objectives-This report presents preliminary data for 2007 on births in the United States. U.S. data on births are shown by age, live-birth order, race, and Hispanic origin of mother. Data on marital status, cesarean delivery, preterm births, and low birthweight are also presented. Methods-Data in this report are based on 98.7 percent of births for 2007. The records are weighted to independent control counts of all births received in state vital statistics offices in 2007. Comparisons are made with 2006 data. Results-The preliminary estimate of births in 2007 rose 1 percent to 4,317,119, the highest number of births ever registered for the United States. The general fertility rate increased by 1 percent in 2007, to 69.5 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years, the highest level since 1990. Increases occurred within all race and Hispanic origin groups and for nearly all age groups. The birth rate for U.S. teenagers 15-19 years rose again in 2007 by about 1 percent, to 42.5 births per 1,000. The birth rate for teenagers 15-17 and 18-19 years each increased by 1 percent in 2007, to 22.2 and 73.9 per 1,000, respectively. The rate for the youngest group, 10-14 years, was unchanged. Birth rates also increased for women in their twenties, thirties, and early forties between 2006 and 2007. The 2007 total fertility rate increased to 2,122.5 births per 1,000 women. All measures of childbearing by unmarried women rose to historic levels in 2007, with the number of births, birth rate, and proportion of births to unmarried women increasing 3 to 5 percent. The cesarean delivery rate rose 2 percent in 2007, to 31.8 percent, marking the 11th consecutive year of increase and another record high for the United States. The rate of preterm births (infants delivered at less than 37 weeks of gestation) decreased 1 percent in 2007, to 12.7 percent, with the decline predominately among infants born late preterm (at 34-36 weeks). The rate of low birthweight (less than 2,500 grams) also declined slightly in 2007, to 8.2 percent. Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | RESEARCH REPORT | VITAL STATISTICS | BIRTH RATE | INFANT HEALTH | FERTILITY RATE | MATERNAL HEALTH | FERTILITY MEASUREMENTS | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Child Health | Health Document Number: 341885 |
| 4. Peer Reviewed Title: Global patterns of mortality in young people: a systematic analysis of population health data. Author: Patton GC; Coffey C; Sawyer SM; Viner RM; Haller DM; Bose K; Vos T; Ferguson J; Mathers CD Source: Lancet. 2009 Sep 12;374(9693):881-92. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pronounced changes in patterns of health take place in adolescence and young adulthood, but the effects on mortality patterns worldwide have not been reported. We analysed worldwide rates and patterns of mortality between early adolescence and young adulthood. METHODS: We obtained data from the 2004 Global Burden of Disease Study, and used all-cause mortality estimates developed for the 2006 World Health Report, with adjustments for revisions in death from HIV/AIDS and from war and natural disasters. Data for cause of death were derived from national vital registration when available; for other countries we used sample registration data, verbal autopsy, and disease surveillance data to model causes of death. Worldwide rates and patterns of mortality were investigated by WHO region, income status, and cause in age-groups of 10-14 years, 15-19 years, and 20-24 years. FINDINGS: 2.6 million deaths occurred in people aged 10-24 years in 2004. 2.56 million (97%) of these deaths were in low-income and middle-income countries, and almost two thirds (1.67 million) were in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia. Pronounced rises in mortality rates were recorded from early adolescence (10-14 years) to young adulthood (20-24 years), but reasons varied by region and sex. Maternal conditions were a leading cause of female deaths at 15%. HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis contributed to 11% of deaths. Traffic accidents were the largest cause and accounted for 14% of male and 5% of female deaths. Other prominent causes included violence (12% of male deaths) and suicide (6% of all deaths). INTERPRETATION: Present global priorities for adolescent health policy, which focus on HIV/AIDS and maternal mortality, are an important but insufficient response to prevent mortality in an age-group in which more than two in five deaths are due to intentional and unintentional injuries. FUNDING: WHO and National Health and Medical Research Council. Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | RESEARCH REPORT | DATA ANALYSIS | YOUTH | MORTALITY | CAUSES OF DEATH | VITAL STATISTICS | GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS | MATERNAL MORTALITY | ADOLESCENT HEALTH | ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES | SUICIDE | Research Methodology | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Population Dynamics | Population Statistics | Health Document Number: 342865 |
| 5. Title: Forensic considerations of pregnancy-related maternal deaths: an overview. Author: Sharma BR; Gupta N Source: Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. 2009 Jul;16(5):233-8. Abstract: During the 20th century, risks to women associated with childbirth in developed countries have been dramatically reduced on account of many factors that include technological advancements in obstetrical care, greater access to health services and fewer births occurring at the extremes of women's reproductive age span. However, pregnancy-related maternal deaths continue to be a major health concern in developing countries. In the year 2005, an estimated 536,000 women died of maternal causes worldwide of which 86% occurred in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and less than 1% in more developed countries. The large regional differences in maternal deaths demonstrate that most of these deaths are preventable. It is nevertheless important to monitor patterns of pregnancy-related mortality and serious morbidity and to be sensitive to what observed patterns or changes may tell us in order to continue to safeguard women during this critical period and the monitoring process must begin with ascertainment of the accuracy of routine reporting of deaths associated with pregnancy and childbirth. We examine the pregnancy-related maternal deaths with a forensic view point. Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | CRITIQUE | MEASUREMENT | MATERNAL MORTALITY | DEATH RATE | CAUSES OF DEATH | RISK FACTORS | PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS | VITAL STATISTICS | MONITORING | Research Methodology | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Health | Diseases | Population Statistics | Evaluation Document Number: 342792 |
| 6. Peer Reviewed Title: A prospective key informant surveillance system to measure maternal mortality -- findings from indigenous populations in Jharkhand and Orissa, India. Author: Barnett S; Nair N; Tripathy P; Borghi J; Rath S Source: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2008 Feb 28;8(6):[22] p. Abstract: In places with poor vital registration, measurement of maternal mortality and monitoring the impact of interventions on maternal mortality is difficult and seldom undertaken. Mortality ratios are often estimated and policy decisions made without robust evidence. This paper presents a prospective key informant system to measure maternal mortality and the initial findings from the system. In a population of 228 186, key informants identified all births and deaths to women of reproductive age, prospectively, over a period of 110 weeks. After birth verification, interviewers visited households six to eight weeks after delivery to collect information on the ante-partum, intra-partum and post-partum periods, as well as birth outcomes. For all deaths to women of reproductive age they ascertained whether they could be classified as maternal, pregnancy related or late maternal and if so, verbal autopsies were conducted. 13 602 births were identified, with a crude birth rate of 28.2 per 1000 population (C.I. 27.7-28.6) and a maternal mortality ratio of 722 per 100 000 live births (C.I. 591-882) recorded. Maternal deaths comprised 29% of all deaths to women aged 15-49. Approximately a quarter of maternal deaths occurred ante-partum, a half intra-partum and a quarter post-partum. Haemorrhage was the commonest cause of all maternal deaths (25%), but causation varied between the ante-partum, intra-partum and postpartum periods. The cost of operating the surveillance system was US$386 a month, or US$0.02 per capita per year. This low cost key informant surveillance system produced high, but plausible birth and death rates in this remote population in India. This method could be used to monitor trends in maternal mortality and to test the impact of interventions in large populations with poor vital registration and thus assist policy makers in making evidence-based decisions. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | PROSPECTIVE STUDIES | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | MATERNAL MORTALITY | CAUSES OF DEATH | MEASUREMENT | DATA COLLECTION | VITAL STATISTICS | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Studies | Research Methodology | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Population Statistics Document Number: 324224 |
| 7. Peer Reviewed Title: Patterns of malaria: Cause-specific and all-cause mortality in a malaria-endemic area of West Africa. Author: Becher H; Kynast-Wolf G; Sie A; Ndugwa R; Ramroth H Source: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2008;78(1):106-113. Abstract: Information on cause-specific mortality is sparse in sub-Saharan Africa. We present seasonal patterns of malaria and all-cause mortality from a longitudinal study with 60,000 individuals in rural northwestern Burkina Faso. The study is based on a demographic surveillance system and covers the period 1999-2003. Overall, 3,492 deaths were observed. Cause of death was ascertained by verbal autopsy. Age-specific death rates by cause and month of death were calculated. Seasonal and temporal trends were modeled with parametric Poisson regression. Infant and children less than 5 years of age mortality was 60.6 (95% CI, 56.2-65.3) and 31.9 (95% CI, 30.4-33.5) per 1,000 for all causes and 23.4 (95% CI, 20.7-26.4) and 13.3 (95% CI, 12.3-14.3) for malaria, respectively. Mortality was significantly higher in the rainy season. It is well described parametrically with a sinusoidal function. In adults, the highest all-cause mortality rates were observed in the dry season. Here, HIV/AIDS has become a leading cause of mortality. (author's) Language: English Keywords: BURKINA FASO | RESEARCH REPORT | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | VITAL STATISTICS | RURAL AREAS | MALARIA | MORTALITY | CAUSES OF DEATH | HUMAN GEOGRAPHY | DEATH RATE | AGE FACTORS | Developing Countries | Africa, Western | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Statistics | Geographic Factors | Population | Parasitic Diseases | Diseases | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Geography | Social Sciences | Science | Sociocultural Factors | Population Characteristics Document Number: 323618 |
| 8. Peer Reviewed Title: Internet death notices as a novel source of mortality surveillance data. Author: Boak MB; M'ikanatha NM; Day RS; Harrison LH Source: American Journal of Epidemiology. 2008;167(5):532-539. Abstract: Concerns about bioterrorism and influenza have focused attention on identifying novel data sources to enhance public health surveillance. The authors evaluated free Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Internet death notices for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as a potentially timely source of mortality data. Data abstracted from Internet death notices for 1998-2001 were compared with mortality records from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Approximately 75% (44,294/60,281) of state records had death notices, and 91% (44,294/48,651) of death notices corresponded to a state record. There was a 2-day median lag from the date of death to online death notice publication. The date of death, gender, age, and name data were nearly 90% accurate and 60-100% complete. Increasing education and age were independently associated with increased Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporting. Being non-White, female, or a nursing home resident were independently associated with decreased reporting. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Internet death notices provided accurate, timely mortality data for nearly three fourths of all Allegheny County deaths. (author's) Language: English Keywords: PENNSYLVANIA | RESEARCH REPORT | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | DATA COLLECTION | MINORITY GROUPS | NOTIFICATION | DEATH RECORDS | VITAL STATISTICS | INTERNET | MORTALITY | TIME FACTORS | NEWSPAPERS | SEX FACTORS | LENGTH OF LIFE | EDUCATIONAL STATUS | Developed Countries | United States of America | North America | Americas | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Population Statistics | Information Networks | Communication | Population Dynamics | Printed Media | Mass Media | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors Document Number: 324948 |
| 9. Title: Measuring tuberculosis burden, trends, and the impact of control programmes. Author: Dye C; Basslli A; Bierrenbach AL; Broekmans JF; Chadha VK Source: Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2008 Apr;8(4):233-243. Abstract: The targets for tuberculosis control, framed within the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, are to ensure that the incidence per head of tuberculosis is falling by 2015, and that the 1990 prevalence and mortality per head are halved by 2015. In monitoring progress in tuberculosis control, the ultimate aim for all countries is to count tuberculosis cases (incidence) accurately through routine surveillance. Disease prevalence surveys are costly and laborious, but give unbiased measures of tuberculosis burden and trends, and are justified in high-burden countries where many cases and deaths are missed by surveillance systems. Most countries in which tuberculosis is highly endemic do not yet have reliable death registration systems. Verbal autopsy, used in cause-of-death surveys, is an alternative, interim method of assessing tuberculosis mortality, but needs further validation. Although several new assays for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection have recently been devised, the tuberculin skin test remains the only practical method of measuring infection in populations. However, this test typically has low specificity and is therefore best used comparatively to assess geographical and temporal variation in risk of infection. By 2015, every country should be able to assess progress in tuberculosis control by estimating the time trend in incidence, and the magnitude of reductions in either prevalence or deaths. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | SUMMARY REPORT | MEASUREMENT | INCIDENCE | PREVALENCE | TUBERCULOSIS | MORTALITY | DEATH RATE | SCREENING | VITAL STATISTICS | TRANSMISSION | MONITORING | Research Methodology | Infections | Diseases | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Examinations and Diagnoses | Medical Procedures | Medicine | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Population Statistics | Evaluation Document Number: 325523 |
| 10. Peer Reviewed Title: Evaluation of cause-of-death statistics for Brazil, 2002-2004. Author: Franca E; de Abreu DX; Rao C; Lopez AD Source: International Journal of Epidemiology. 2008 Aug;37(4):891-901. Abstract: Mortality statistics systems with reliable cause-of-death data constitute a major resource for effective health planning; however, many developing countries lack such information systems. Brazil has a long history of registering deaths, and a critical assessment of the quality of current cause-of-death statistics in its five different regions is crucial to identify strengths and weaknesses in the data, and present options for improvement. Quality of cause-of-death data from 2002 to 2004 was evaluated using an assessment framework based on four main attributes: generalizability, reliability, validity and policy relevance. A set of nine criteria: coverage, completeness, consistency of cause patterns with general mortality levels, consistency of cause specific mortality proportions over time, content validity, proportion of ill-defined causes and nonspecific codes, incorrect or improbable age or sex patterns, timeliness, and geographical disaggregation were used to assess the four attributes of data quality. Completeness of death registration varies from 72 to 80% in the northeast regions, compared with 85-90% in the Southeast and Centre-West regions, and 94-97% in the wealthier South region. The proportion of ill-defined deaths is an important problem in reported causes of death from almost all regions. Lack of adequate evidence limits the assessment of content validity of registered causes of death. Coverage, consistency of causes with general level of mortality, consistency over time, age and sex patterns, timeliness and usability of statistics for subnational purposes were judged to be reasonable and increase confidence in using the statistics. There is considerable heterogeneity in the quality of cause-of-death statistics across Brazilian regions, especially for criteria such as completeness and ill-defined causes. These factors can influence generalizability and validity of reported causes of death, and must be considered in the interpretation and use of data for secondary descriptive analyses suchas burden of disease estimation at regional level, with suitable adjustments to account for bias. The differences identified in this study could be a useful guide for defining measures and investments needed to improve data quality in Brazil. (author's) Language: English Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | CAUSES OF DEATH | MORTALITY | DATA QUALITY | VITAL STATISTICS | HETEROGENEITY | Developing Countries | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Data Analysis | Research Methodology | Population Statistics | Population Characteristics Document Number: 327854 |
| 11. Peer Reviewed Title: Measuring maternal mortality: An overview of opportunities and options for developing countries. Author: Graham WJ; Ahmed S; Stanton C; Abou-Zahr; Campbell OM Source: BMC Medicine. 2008 May 26;6:12. Abstract: There is currently an unprecedented expressed need and demand for estimates of maternal mortality in developing countries. This has been stimulated in part by the creation of a Millennium Development Goal that will be judged partly on the basis of reductions in maternal mortality by 2015. Since the launch of the Safe Motherhood Initiative in 1987, new opportunities for data capture have arisen and new methods have been developed, tested and used. This paper provides a pragmatic overview of these methods and the optimal measurement strategies for different developing country contexts. There are significant recent advances in the measurement of maternal mortality, yet also room for further improvement, particularly in assessing the magnitude and direction of biases and their implications for different data uses. Some of the innovations in measurement provide efficient mechanisms for gathering the requisite primary data at a reasonably low cost. No method, however, has zero costs. Investment is needed in measurement strategies for maternal mortality suited to the needs and resources of a country, and which also strengthen the technical capacity to generate and use credible estimates. Ownership of information is necessary for it to be acted upon: what you count is what you do. Difficulties with measurement must not be allowed to discourage efforts to reduce maternal mortality. Countries must be encouraged and enabled to count maternal deaths and act. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | RESEARCH REPORT | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | MATERNAL MORTALITY | VITAL STATISTICS | DATA COLLECTION | MEASUREMENT | ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES | COST EFFECTIVENESS | BIAS | RELIABILITY | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Evaluation Indexes | Quantitative Evaluation | Evaluation | Error Sources Document Number: 326901 |
| 12. Title: Increasing differential mortality by educational attainment in adults in the United States. Author: Hadden WC; Rockswold PD Source: International Journal of Health Services. 2008;38(1):47-61. Abstract: Economic inequality has increased substantially in the United States since the early 1970s. Inequality in mortality increased from 1960 to 1986. To assess the trend in inequality in mortality the authors calculate age-adjusted mortality rates by educational attainment for 2000 and compare them with rates from 1960 and 1986, using relative and absolute indexes of inequality. Rates are calculated for non-Hispanic white and black adults aged 25 to 64 years, using mortality data from U.S. Vital Statistics and population estimates from the Census Public Use Microdata Sample. The trend toward increasing inequality in mortality between 1960 and 1986 accelerated from 1986 to 2000. Improvements in mortality went disproportionately to those with the most education. Mortality rates for whites with low education, which declined from 1960 to 1986, actually rose from 1986 to 2000. The relative change was greatest for those with only a high school education. This change, however, is largely explained by shifts in the distribution of education, which left those with a high school education in a lower position. The increase in inequality was particularly strong in whites and stronger in men than in women. For black men there was a small decline in absolute inequality between 1986 and 2000. (author's) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | RESEARCH REPORT | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS | ADULTS | ETHNIC GROUPS | DIFFERENTIAL MORTALITY | EDUCATIONAL STATUS | INEQUALITIES | AGE SPECIFIC DEATH RATE | VITAL STATISTICS | CENSUS | SEX FACTORS | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Studies | Research Methodology | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Cultural Background | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Death Rate | Population Statistics Document Number: 325212 |
| 13. Peer Reviewed Title: The more obese a woman is, the greater her risk of having a stillbirth. Author: Hollander D Source: Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. 2008 Mar;40(1):56-57. Abstract: Obese women are more likely than their normal-weight counterparts to have a stillbirth, and the risk appears to rise with the degree of a woman's obesity. Overall, Missouri women who gave birth between 1978 and 1997 were about 40% more likely to have a stillbirth if they were obese than if they were normal-weight; the risk of stillbirth was elevated by 30% for women at the low end of the obese range, but was nearly doubled for the extremely obese. The general pattern of increasing risk with more severe obesity held for both black and white women, but the differentials were greater for blacks in every category. Given a "persistent surge" in extreme obesity among women, and well-established connections between obesity in general and poor birth outcomes, researchers setout to explore the relationships between stillbirth risk and degrees of obesity. They used linked data files from Missouri's vital statistics system to study maternal characteristics and birth outcomes associated with singleton pregnancies of 20-44 weeks' gestation. After calculating women's prepregnancy body mass index (or BMI, defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters), they categorized women according to the following weight categories: normal (BMI, 18.5-24.9), class 1 obesity (30.0-34.9), class 2 obesity (35.0-39.9) and extreme obesity (40.0 or higher). (Women who were underweight or who were overweight but not obese were excluded.) Stillbirth was defined as in utero fetal death at 20 or more weeks' gestation; the researchers computed stillbirth rates, compared them across maternal characteristics by using chi-square tests and used Cox hazards regression to assess risk factors. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: MISSOURI | RESEARCH REPORT | COHORT ANALYSIS | CASE CONTROL STUDIES | PREGNANT WOMEN | ETHNIC GROUPS | FETAL DEATH | OBESITY | PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS | VITAL STATISTICS | United States of America | North America | Americas | Developed Countries | Research Methodology | Studies | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Cultural Background | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Body Weight | Physiology | Biology | Diseases | Population Statistics Document Number: 325199 |
| 14. Title: Life expectancy and human capital investments: Evidence from maternal mortality declines. Author: Jayachandran S; Lleras-Muney A Source: Cambridge, Massachusetts, National Bureau of Economic Research, 2008 Apr. 51 p. (NBER Working Paper No. 13947) Abstract: Longer life expectancy should encourage human capital accumulation, since a longer time horizon increases the value of investments that pay out over time. Previous work has been unable to determine the empirical importance of this life-expectancy effect due to the difficulty of isolating it from other effects of health on education. We examine a sudden drop in maternal mortality risk in Sri Lanka between 1946 and 1953, which creates a sharp increase in life expectancy for school-age girls without contemporaneous effects on health, and which also allows for the use of boys as a control group. Using additional geographic variation, we find that the 70% reduction in maternal mortality risk over the sample period increased female life expectancy at age 15 by 4.1%, female literacy by 2.5%, and female years of education by 4.0%. (author's) Language: English Keywords: SRI LANKA | RESEARCH REPORT | THEORETICAL MODELS | VITAL STATISTICS | LIFE EXPECTANCY | MATERNAL MORTALITY | MORTALITY DECLINE | SEX FACTORS | LITERACY | EDUCATION | ECONOMIC FACTORS | INCOME | GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Research Methodology | Population Statistics | Length of Life | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Population Characteristics | Educational Status | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors Document Number: 326614 |
| 15. Peer Reviewed Title: Cohort fertility patterns and breast cancer mortality among U.S. women, 1948 - 2003. Author: Krueger PM; Preston SH Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Apr 15;18(9):263-284. Abstract: Epidemiological research has shown that women who have early and numerous births have reduced risks of being diagnosed with breast cancer. We use U.S. Vital Statistics and Census data and age-period-cohort models to examine whether cohort fertility patterns are associated with breast cancer mortality rates among women aged 40 and older in 1948-2003. Cohorts marked by higher proportions childless at ages 15-24 and lower cumulative second birth rates at ages 15-29 have higher rates of breast cancer mortality. This is the first demonstration that cohort fertility patterns have left a clear imprint on trends in U.S. breast cancer mortality rates. (author's) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | RESEARCH REPORT | COHORT ANALYSIS | MATHEMATICAL MODEL | BREAST CANCER | INCIDENCE | MORTALITY | FERTILITY MEASUREMENTS | BIRTH RATE | PARITY | VITAL STATISTICS | CENSUS | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Research Methodology | Theoretical Models | Cancer | Neoplasms | Diseases | Measurement | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility | Population Statistics Document Number: 326128 |
| 16. Title: Four million neonatal deaths: counting and attribution of cause of death. Author: Lawn JE; Osrin D; Adler A; Cousens S Source: Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology. 2008 Sep;22(5):410-416. Abstract: Each year there are an estimated four million neonatal deaths and at least 3.2 million stillbirths. Three-quarters of the world's neonatal deaths are counted only through five-yearly retrospective household surveys. Without these surveys we would have no data, but limitations remain particularly in detecting deaths on the first day of life. Comparable reliable neonatal cause of death data through vital registration are available for less than 5% of the world's neonatal deaths, necessitating modelled estimates for the majority of the world. Improving the quantity, quality and frequency of data for numbers and causes of neonatal deaths is essential to effectively guide the increasing investments to reduce these deaths. Advancing the data requires general investment in information systems and specific improvements of tools and methods for both household surveys and verbal autopsy, particularly the use of consistent case definitions and hierarchical attribution of cause of death. An important paradigm shift is from historical categories for cause of death ('perinatal causes') to programmatic categories which are consistent with the International Classification of Diseases. If neonatal deaths remain uncounted, they cannot count in policy and in programmes. Language: English Keywords: UNITED KINGDOM | RESEARCH REPORT | VITAL STATISTICS | DATA COLLECTION | NEONATAL MORTALITY | CAUSES OF DEATH | Developed Countries | Europe, Western | Europe | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Infant Mortality | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population Document Number: 308034 |
| 17. Title: Unreported births and deaths, a severe obstacle for improved neonatal survival in low-income countries; a population based study. Author: Malqvist M; Eriksson L; Nga NT; Fagerland LI; Hoa DP Source: BMC International Health and Human Rights. 2008 Mar 28;8:4. Abstract: In order to improve child survival there is a need to target neonatal mortality. In this pursuit, valid local and national statistics on child health are essential. We analyze to what extent births and neonatal deaths are unreported in a low-income country and discuss the consequences at local and international levels for efforts to save newborn lives. Information on all births and neonatal deaths in Quang Ninh province in Northern Vietnam in 2005 was ascertained by systematic inventory through group interviews with key informants, questionnaires and examination of health facility records. Health care staff at 187 Community Health Centers (CHC) and 18 hospitals, in addition to 1372 Village Health Workers (VHW), were included in the study. Results were compared with the official reports of the Provincial Health Bureau. The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) was 16/1000 (284 neonatal deaths/17 519 births), as compared to the official rate of 4.2/1000. The NMR varied between 44/1000 and 10/1000 in the different districts of the province. The under-reporting was mainly attributable to a dysfunctional reporting system and the fact that families, not the health system, were made responsible to register births and deaths. This under-reporting has severe consequences at local, national and international levels. At a local level, it results in a lack of awareness of the magnitude and differentials in NMR, leading to an indifference towards the problem. At a national and international level the perceived low mortality rate is manifested in a lack of investments in perinatal health programs. This example of a faulty health information system is reportedly not unique in low and middle income countries where needs for neonatal health reforms are greatest. Improving reporting systems on births and neonatal deaths is a matter of human rights and a prerequisite for reducing neonatal mortality in order to reach the fourth millennium goal. (author's) Language: English Keywords: VIETNAM | RESEARCH REPORT | GROUP INTERVIEWS | INFANT | INFANT MORTALITY | BIRTH RECORDS | DEATH RECORDS | POPULATION REGISTER | VITAL STATISTICS | UNDERCOUNT | Developing Countries | Asia, Southeastern | Asia | Interviews | Data Collection | Research Methodology | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Population Statistics | Error Sources | Measurement Document Number: 325776 |
| 18. Title: [Trends of AIDS incidence and mortality among women in menopause transition and post-menopause in Brazil, 1996 - 2005] Tendencia da incidencia e da mortalidade por aids em mulheres na transicao Author: Pereira EC; Schmitt AC; Cardoso MR; Aldrighi JM Source: Revista Da Associacao Medica Brasileira. 2008 Sep-Oct;54(5):422-5. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence and mortality by AIDS in Brazil involving women in the menopause transition and post-menopause stage. METHODS: Retrospective study conducted from 1996 to 2005, using secondary data provided by the DATASUS Health Information System - Ministry of Health. The population was extracted from the "Demographic and Socio-economic" database, incidence from "Epidemiology and Morbidity" and mortality from "Vital Statistics". Specific coefficients for incidence and mortality by AIDS (for 100,000 women) were calculated for each age ranging from 30 to 69 (30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69) as this includes the population of interest; i.e. women in menopause transition and post-menopause, that is to say from 35 to 65 years of age. RESULTS: There was an increase in the incidence of AIDS between 1996 and 1998, followed by a slight downward trend until 2000 and then an increment up to 2004. In 2005, the coefficient returns to values close to those of 1997. Mortality fell in all age ranges from 1996 to 1997 and afterwards coefficients remained virtually stable until 1999, except for ages from 30-39, which continue stable until 2005. For women older than 40, the mortality coefficient increased between 1999 and 2005. CONCLUSION: There was an increase in the number of new cases of AIDS in women over 30 and the same was true for mortality. The increase and "aging" of epidemics among Brazilian women show that health supporting measures, disease prevention and early diagnoses as well as effective care must be provided for women in the 30-69 age group considering personal characteristics, family context and social role played by women of this age. Language: Portuguese Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | RETROSPECTIVE STUDIES | VITAL STATISTICS | CHANGES | WOMEN | MENOPAUSE | MORTALITY | DEATH RATE | AIDS | AGE FACTORS | EXAMINATIONS AND DIAGNOSES | DISEASE PREVENTION | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Statistics | Social Change | Sociocultural Factors | Demographic Factors | Population | Reproduction | Population Dynamics | HIV Infections | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Population Characteristics | Medical Procedures | Medicine | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Prevention and Control Document Number: 342113 |
| 19. Title: The effects of 3 environmental risks on mortality disparities across Mexican communities. Author: Stevens GA; Dias RH; Ezzati M Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2008 Nov 4;105(44):16860-5. Abstract: The disparities in the burden of ill health caused by environmental risks should be an important consideration beyond their aggregate population effects. We used comparative risk assessment methods to calculate the mortality effects of unsafe water and sanitation, indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use, and ambient urban particulate matter pollution in Mexico. We also estimated the disparities in mortality caused by each risk factor, across municipios (counties) of residence and by municipio socioeconomic status (SES). Data sources for the analysis were the national census, population-representative health surveys, and air quality monitoring for risk factor exposure; systematic reviews and meta-analyses of epidemiological studies for risk factor effects; and vital statistics for disease-specific mortality. During 2001-2005, unsafe water and sanitation, household solid fuel use, and urban particulate matter pollution were responsible for 3,000, 3,600, and 7,600 annual deaths, respectively. Annual child mortality rates would decrease by 0.2, 0.1, and 0.1 per 1,000 children, and life expectancy would increase by 1.0, 1.2, and 2.4 months, respectively, in the absence of these environmental exposures. Together, these risk factors caused 10.6% of child deaths in the lowest-SES communities (0.9 deaths per 1,000 children), but only 4.0% in communities in the highest-SES ones (0.1 per 1,000). In the 50 most-affected municipios, these 3 exposures were responsible for 3.2 deaths per 1,000 children and a 10-month loss of life expectancy. The large disparities in the mortality effects of these 3 environmental risks should form the basis of interventions and environmental monitoring programs. Language: English Keywords: MEXICO | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | COMPARATIVE STUDIES | EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS | URBAN POPULATION | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | DEATH RATE | INEQUALITIES | RISK ASSESSMENT | WATER SUPPLY | SANITATION | INDOOR AIR POLLUTION | VITAL STATISTICS | CHILD MORTALITY | North America | Americas | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Evaluation | Natural Resources | Public Health | Health | Population Statistics Document Number: 330044 |
| 20. Peer Reviewed Title: The global distribution of infant mortality: A subnational spatial view. Author: Storeygard A; Balk D; Levy M; Deane G Source: Population, Space and Place. 2008 May-Jun;14(3):209-229. Abstract: We describe the compilation of a spatially explicit data-set detailing infant mortality rates in over 10,000 national and subnational units worldwide, benchmarked to the year 2000. Although their resolution is highly variable, subnational data are available for countries representing over 90% of the non-OECD population. Concentration of global infant deaths is higher than implied by national data alone. Assigning both national and subnational data to map grid cells so that they may be easily integrated with other geographical data, we generate infant mortality rates for environmental regions, including biomes and coastal zones, by continent. Rates for these regions also show striking refinements from the use of the higher resolution data. Possibilities and limitations for related work are discussed. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | RESEARCH REPORT | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES | AREA ANALYSIS | INFANT MORTALITY | GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS | HUMAN GEOGRAPHY | VITAL STATISTICS | ENVIRONMENT | Research Methodology | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Geography | Social Sciences | Science | Sociocultural Factors | Population Statistics Document Number: 326578 |
| 21. Title: Sample Vital Registration with Verbal Autopsy (SAVVY): an overview. Author: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Carolina Population Center [CPC]. MEASURE Evaluation; United States. Census Bureau. Population Division. International Programs Center Source: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Population Center [CPC], MEASURE Evaluation, 2007. [4] p. (MS-07-26-OBUSAID Cooperative Agreement No. GPO-A-00-03-00003-00) Abstract: Accurate statistics on births, deaths, and the causes of death generated by a well functioning vital statistics system are the foundation of rational health and public policy. Yet these are lacking for the vast majority of the world's poorest countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, fewer than 10 countries have routine vital statistics systems that produce usable data. In particular, data on both the number and causes of death in developing countries are virtually non-existent. Reliable data on levels of adult death - let alone causes of death - simply do not exist for the majority of developing countries, where a large majority of deaths occur at home. Mortality estimates, particularly for adults, that are patched together and modeled from limited sources of information have not provided an adequate foundation for setting health sector priorities or for assessing program progress and impact. The objective is to move from a situation in which knowledge of most events that take place in communities and households is lost, to one in which information about those vital events is brought into the health information system. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | SUMMARY REPORT | DATA COLLECTION | VITAL STATISTICS | DEATH RECORDS | CAUSES OF DEATH | CENSUS | STANDARDS | COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION | Research Methodology | Population Statistics | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Organization and Administration Document Number: 322554 |
| 22. Peer Reviewed Title: The way forward. Author: AbouZahr C; Cleland J; Coullare F; Macfarlane SB; Notzon FC Source: Lancet. 2007 Nov 24;370(9601):1791-1799. Abstract: Good public-health decision-making is dependent on reliable and timely statistics on births and deaths (including the medical causes of death). All high-income countries, without exception, have national civil registration systems that record these events and generate regular, frequent, and timely vital statistics. By contrast, these statistics are not available in many low-income and lower-middle-income countries, even though it is in such settings that premature mortality is most severe and the need for robust evidence to back decision-making most critical. Civil registration also has a range of benefits for individuals in terms of legal status, and the protection of economic, social, and human rights. However, over the past 30 years, the global health and development community has failed to provide the needed technical and financial support to countries to develop civil registration systems. There is no single blueprint for establishing and maintaining such systems and ensuring the availabilityof sound vital statistics. Each country faces a different set of challenges, and strategies must be tailored accordingly. There are steps that can be taken, however, and we propose an approach that couples the application of methods to generate better vital statistics in the short term with capacity-building for comprehensive civil registration systems in the long run. (author's) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | CRITIQUE | RECOMMENDATIONS | EVALUATION | POPULATION | DECISION MAKING | DEATH RECORDS | BIRTH RECORDS | VITAL STATISTICS | BEST PRACTICES | Behavior | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Programs | Organization and Administration Document Number: 313967 |
| 23. Title: Estimating mortality and causes of death in Turkey: Methods, results and policy implications. Author: Akgun S; Rao C; Yardim N; Basara BB; Aydin O Source: European Journal of Public Health. 2007;17(6):593-599. Abstract: Cause-specific mortality statistics are primary evidence for health policy formulation, programme evaluation, and epidemiological research. In Turkey, a partially functioning vital registration system in urban areas yields fragmentary evidence on levels and causes of mortality. This article discusses the application of innovative methods to develop national mortality estimates in Turkey, and their implications for national health development policies. Child mortality levels from the Demography and Health Survey (DHS) were applied to model life tables to estimate age-specific death rates. Reported causes of death from urban areas were adjusted using re-distribution algorithms from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study. Rural cause structure was estimated from epidemiological models. Local epidemiological data was used to adjust model-based estimates. Life expectancy at birth in 2000 was estimated to be 67.7 years (males) and 71.9 years (females), about 8-10 years lower than in Western Europe. Leading causes of death include major vascular diseases (ischaemic heart disease, stroke) causing 35-38% of deaths, chronic obstructive lung disease and lung cancer in men, but also perinatal causes, lower respiratory infections and diarrhoeal diseases. Injuries cause about 6-8% of deaths, although this may be an underestimate. Mortality estimates are uncertain in Turkey, given the poor quality of death registration systems. Application of burden of disease methods suggests that there has been progress along the epidemiological transition. Key health development strategies for Turkey include improved access to communicable disease control technologies, and urgent attention to the development of a reliable, nationally representative health information system. (author's) Language: English Keywords: TURKEY | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | CHILD MORTALITY | VITAL STATISTICS | CAUSES OF DEATH | HEALTH POLICY | ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES | LIFE TABLE METHOD | DATA QUALITY | NEEDS | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Developing Countries | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Mortality | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Policy | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Demographic Analysis | Data Analysis | Economic Factors Document Number: 323356 |
| 24. Peer Reviewed Title: Child mortality in South Africa -- we have lost touch [editorial] Author: Bradshaw D; Dorrington R Source: South African Medical Journal. 2007 Aug;97(8):582-583. Abstract: This editorial comments on the lack of reliable up-to-date data on childhood mortality in South Africa and how that affects achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). "If South Africa is to take the MDG goal seriously, it is essential to revitalise the child health agenda with a particular focus on reducing the burden of disease among children in rural areas and the urban poor. Reliable measurement of child mortality rates is an essential component of this effort, and government is urged to improve the vital statistics system and the quality of surveys in order to produce reliable up-to-date estimates of the rates at which our children are becoming sick and dying." (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: SOUTH AFRICA | CRITIQUE | VITAL STATISTICS | RELIABILITY | DATA COLLECTION | GOALS | CHILD MORTALITY | PREVENTION AND CONTROL | POVERTY | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Measurement | Planning | Organization and Administration | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Diseases | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors Document Number: 328017 |
| 25. Title: DSS and DHS: Longitudinal and cross-sectional viewpoints on child and adolescent mortality in Ethiopia. Author: Byass P; Worku A; Emmelin A; Berhane Y Source: Population Health Metrics. 2007 Dec 27;5(12):[20] p. Abstract: In countries where routine vital registration data are scarce, Demographic Surveillance Sites (DSS: locally defined populations under longitudinal surveillance for vital events and other characteristics) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS: periodic national cluster samples responding to cross-sectional surveys) have become standard approaches for gathering at least some data. This paper aims to compare DSS and DHS approaches, seeing how they complement each other in the specific instance of child and adolescent mortality in Ethiopia. Data from the Butajira DSS 1987-2004 and the Ethiopia DHS rounds for 2000 and 2005 formed the basis of comparative analyses of mortality rates among those aged under 20 years, using Poisson regression models for adjusted rate ratios. Patterns of mortality over time were broadly comparable using DSS and DHS approaches. DSS data were more susceptible to local epidemic variations, while DHS data tended to smooth out local variation, and be more subject to recall bias. Both DSS and DHS approaches to mortality surveillance gave similar overall results, but both showed method-dependent advantages and disadvantages. In many settings, this kind of joint-source data analysis could offer significant added value to results. (author's) Language: English Keywords: ETHIOPIA | RESEARCH REPORT | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | CHILD | ADOLESCENTS | CHILD MORTALITY | VITAL STATISTICS | MORTALITY | DEATH RATE | Developing Countries | Africa, Eastern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Studies | Research Methodology | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Population Statistics Document Number: 314046 |
| 26. Title: Congenital anomalies in Iran: A cross-sectional study on 1574 cases in the North-West of country. Author: Dastgiri S; Imani S; Kalankesh L; Barzegar M; Heidarzadeh M Source: Child: Care, Health and Development. 2007 May;33(3):257-261. Abstract: At least one congenital anomaly is present in between 1% and 6% of all infants throughout the world. The aim of this study was to document some epidemiological features of congenital anomalies in the North-West of Iran. The study cases (n = 1574) comprised all births registered/notified to three university-hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, from 2000 to 2004. Total prevalence of congenital anomalies was 165.5 per 10 000 births [95% confidence interval (CI): 157-174]. Genito-urinary tract and kidney defects, anomalies of nervous system and limb anomalies accounted proportionally for more than 65% of anomalies in the region. The total prevalence of congenital anomalies in the study area increased from 104.6 per 10 000 births in 2000 (95% CI: 90-119) to 170.1 per 10,000 births in 2004 (95% CI: 152-189). It is concluded that the data from this cross-sectional study of congenital anomalies in the North-West of Iran may be used as the baseline information to establish a population-based registry of birth defects in the area for health care and research purposes. (author's) Language: English Keywords: IRAN | RESEARCH REPORT | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | INFANT | CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES | SEX FACTORS | PREVALENCE | GENITALIA | RENAL EFFECTS | NEUROLOGIC EFFECTS | VITAL STATISTICS | Developing Countries | Middle East | Research Methodology | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities | Diseases | Measurement | Urogenital System | Physiology | Biology | Urogenital Effects | Population Statistics Document Number: 313399 |
| 27. Title: Declared maternal death and the linkage between health information systems. Author: de Sousa MH; Cecatti JG; Hardy EE; Serruya SJ Source: Revista de Saude Publica / Journal of Public Health. 2007 Apr;41(2):181-189. Abstract: The objective was to describe the characteristics of maternal mortality according to the Mortality Information System in relation to the data corresponding to these records that are in other systems. This was a descriptive study using two information systems on vital data and another on the hospital system, for the 26 state capitals and the Federal District of Brazil, in 2002. Initially, the maternal mortality ratios were calculated and information on declared maternal deaths were obtained. From these data, the Mortality Information System was probabilistically linked with the Live Birth Information System and the Hospital Information System, using the "Reclink II" software, with a multiple-step blocking strategy. For paired records, the diagnoses and hospital procedures brought together by the best-known criteria for severe maternal morbidity were detailed. A total of 339 maternal deaths were recorded in 2002. The official and adjusted maternal mortality ratios were, respectively, 46.4 and 64.9 (deaths per 100,000 live births). By correlating with data from the live birth system, 46.5% of the maternal deaths could be located; and from the hospital information, 55.2%. The most frequent admission diagnosis was infection (13.9%) and the most frequent procedure was intensive care unit admission (39.0%). There were low percentage linkages between the records from the three sources studied. However, the possible failures and/or impossibilities in the linkages indicated may separately or jointly explain these low percentages. (author's) Language: English Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | DATA LINKAGE | MOTHERS | MATERNAL MORTALITY | HOSPITALS | VITAL STATISTICS | DEATH RECORDS | INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS | CAUSES OF DEATH | DATA ANALYSIS | Developing Countries | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Data Collection | Research Methodology | Parents | Family Relationships | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Health Facilities | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Population Statistics | Data Storage and Retrieval | Information Processing | Information Document Number: 315628 |
| 28. Peer Reviewed Title: An increase in the sex ratio of births to India -- born mothers in England and Wales: Evidence for sex -- selective abortion. Author: Dubuc S; Coleman D Source: Population and Development Review. 2007 Jun;33(2):383-400. Abstract: Comparative studies of the sex ratio at birth between countries are limited, partly because physiological and/or genetic variation appears to exist between populations, and partly because methodological differences in data acquisition and birth registration practices may bias estimates of the ratio. Although many immigrants to Britain come from cultures with a high degree of son preference, no quantitative evidence has been reported that addresses the possibility of sex-selective abortion by immigrants from these countries. Using the robust data registration system for births in the United Kingdom by birthplace of mother, we compare sex ratios at birth between major categories of immigrant mothers and mothers born in the UK. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: UNITED KINGDOM | INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | COMPARATIVE STUDIES | MOTHERS | IMMIGRANTS | PLACE OF BIRTH | PARITY | BIRTH RECORDS | SEX RATIO | VITAL STATISTICS | INFANTICIDE | Europe, Western | Europe | Developed Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Parents | Family Relationships | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Migrants | Migration | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Population Characteristics | Fertility Measurements | Fertility | Population Statistics | Sex Distribution | Sex Factors | Crime | Social Problems Document Number: 317642 |
| 29. Peer Reviewed Title: Examining the evidence of under-five mortality reduction in a community-based programme in Gaza, Mozambique. Author: Edward A; Ernst P; Taylor C; Becker S; Mazive E Source: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2007 Aug;101(8):814-822. Abstract: Effective implementation of programmes with the community Integrated Management of Childhood Illness model has demonstrated improvements in care-seeking behaviours and utilisation of health services. The child survival programme implemented in Chokwe district of Gaza province, Mozambique, achieved high coverage for bed net use (80%), oral rehydration therapy for children with diarrhoea (94%) and prompt care-seeking from trained providers for children with danger signs. The project also instituted a community-based vital registration and health information system for routine surveillance of births, deaths and childhood illnesses using an extensive network of 2300 volunteers. Evidence from this system indicated a 66% reduction in infant mortality and a 62% reduction in under-five mortality. To check the reliability of the findings, an independent mortality assessment was carried out using a pregnancy history questionnaire with a sample population of 998 women using standard methodologies applied in the Demographic and Health Surveys. The mortality survey showed reductions of 49% and 42% in infant and under-five mortality, respectively. The leading causes of death identified by verbal autopsies were malaria (30%), neonatal causes (17%) and pneumonia (21.3%). These findings suggest that effective community-based partnerships that support the delivery of health services can contribute to mortality reductions. (author's) Language: English Keywords: MOZAMBIQUE | RESEARCH REPORT | CHILD HEALTH SERVICES | COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES | PROGRAM ACCESSIBILITY | UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE | CHILD MORTALITY | MORTALITY DECLINE | CHILD SURVIVAL | VITAL STATISTICS | PREGNANCY HISTORY | TRAINING PROGRAMS | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Maternal-Child Health Services | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Program Evaluation | Programs | Organization and Administration | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Survivorship | Length of Life | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Fertility Measurements | Fertility | Education Document Number: 317932 |
| 30. Title: Health awareness of high school students. Author: Goel S; Singh A Source: Indian Journal of Community Medicine. 2007 Jul-Sep;32(3):192-194. Abstract: Students knowledge about management of commonly occurring injuries and illnesses, particularly in rural areas has been documented to be fragmented, disintegrated and non-sequential. Various wrong practices and myths associated with illnesses and injuries have also been reported among students. Students are usually found to be enthusiastic for any training program organized for them in first aid and basic life support system. In view of this, the present study was conducted to ascertain the awareness of high school students about management of common illnesses and injuries; estimate the prevalent wrong practices and beliefs about illness and injuries; and to assess their knowledge about basic reproductive and child health. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | QUESTIONNAIRES | STUDENTS | SECONDARY SCHOOLS | KNOWLEDGE | MALARIA | TUBERCULOSIS | PNEUMONIA | DIARRHEA | DIABETES | HYPERTENSION | IMMUNIZATION | REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | CHILD HEALTH | VITAL STATISTICS | BIRTH RECORDS | DEATH | ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES | FEVER | PARASITES | MANAGEMENT | AWARENESS | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Education | Schools | Sociocultural Factors | Parasitic Diseases | Diseases | Infections | Pulmonary Effects | Physiology | Biology | Vascular Diseases | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Population Statistics | Research Methodology | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Body Temperature | Organization and Administration Document Number: 321645 |
 |
||
 |
Information & Knowledge for Optimal Health (INFO) Project 111 Market Place Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: 410-659-6300 Fax: 410-659-6266 Security & Privacy Policy |  |