Sensitivity and Positive Predictive Value of Death Certificate Data Among Deaths Caused by Legionnaires’ Disease in New York City, 2008-2013

Publication Details

Authors: OC Tran, DE Lucero, S Balter, JK Varma, et al.

Year: 2018

Source: Public Health Reports

Publisher: journals.sagepub.com

Citations: 3

Citations per Year: 0.43

DOI: 10.1177/0033354918782494

Google Scholar Rank: 134

Author Count: 4

Abstract

Objectives: Death certificates are an important source of information for understanding life expectancy and mortality trends; however, misclassification and incompleteness are well-documented limitations. This comprehensive validation study examines the sensitivity and positive predictive value of death certificate data among deaths caused by Legionnaires’ disease in New York City from 2008-2013, providing critical insights into vital statistics accuracy, surveillance system performance, and the reliability of mortality data for tracking infectious disease deaths in urban populations, with important implications for public health monitoring and epidemiologic research.

Key Findings

• Death certificate sensitivity and positive predictive value for Legionnaires’ disease deaths
• Vital statistics accuracy assessment and surveillance system performance evaluation
• Mortality data reliability for infectious disease tracking and monitoring
• Misclassification patterns and completeness issues in death certificate reporting
• Evidence-based recommendations for improving mortality surveillance systems

Research Impact

This important validation study (3 citations) provided essential evidence on death certificate accuracy for Legionnaires’ disease, informing vital statistics quality improvement efforts and mortality surveillance system enhancements for better tracking of infectious disease deaths in urban public health settings.

Publication Access

Full Text: Public Health Reports

Complete Article: Full Article

Citation Information: Google Scholar Citations