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Utilizing multiple vital status tracing services optimizes mortality follow-up in large cohort studies
L C Schall1, J M Buchanich, G M Marsh
1Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Annals of Epidemiology
|June 12, 2001
Summary
Pension Benefit Information Company (PBI) identified the most deaths in a cohort study, excelling with younger subjects and earlier death dates. Social Security Administration (SSA) and Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) also contributed valuable data for comprehensive mortality follow-up.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Accurate vital status tracing is crucial for occupational cohort mortality studies.
- National death identification services offer potential for efficient and comprehensive death ascertainment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of three national death identification services: Pension Benefit Information Company (PBI), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA).
- To evaluate these services based on death identification and confirmation rates within a large occupational cohort.
- To analyze the performance of each service concerning relevant demographic variables.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 31,223 subjects with unconfirmed vital status in an ongoing occupational cohort mortality study.
- Simultaneously submitted subject information to PBI, SSA, and HCFA to identify deaths occurring up to December 31, 1992.
- Sent identified deaths (1979-1992) to the National Death Index (NDI) for confirmation and supplemental data.
Main Results:
- Pension Benefit Information Company (PBI) identified and confirmed the highest number of deaths.
- PBI and SSA were more effective in identifying deaths among younger individuals and those who died earlier.
- Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) identified fewer deaths, primarily among older females who died in later years; NDI provided high match rates for all services.
Conclusions:
- PBI demonstrated the highest comprehensiveness, particularly for younger subjects and earlier death dates.
- HCFA showed utility in identifying deceased female subjects.
- SSA data is valuable for periodic updates and identifying deaths with poor identifiers, suggesting all three services contribute to optimal mortality follow-up.