Vital statistics, the records of birth and death, are a critical national information resource for understanding public health. Over the past few decades, the specific program that gathers the data has evolved into a complex cooperative program between the federal and state governments for social measurement. The Vital Statistics Cooperative Program (VSCP) is currently maintained by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

The U.S. vital statistics system relies on the original information reported by myriad individuals, channeled through varying state and local information systems, and coordinated and processed by a federal statistical agency that has experienced relatively flat funding for many years. The challenges facing the vital statistics system and the continuing importance of the resulting data make it an important topic for examination.

A workshop, held by the National Academies and summarized in this volume, considered the importance of adequate vital statistics. In particular, the workshop assessed both current and emerging uses of the data, considered the methodological and organizational features of compiling vital data, and identified possible visions for the vital statistics program.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE WORKSHOP ON VITAL DATA FOR NATIONAL NEEDS
• COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL STATISTICS 2008–2009
• Acknowledgment
• 1. Introduction
  • 1–A THE WORKSHOP ON VITAL DATA FOR NATIONAL NEEDS
  • 1–B SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF THE VITAL STATISTICS PROGRAM
  • 1–C REPORT OVERVIEW
• 2. Uses of Vital Statistics Data
  • 2–A USES IN HEALTH POLICY AND HEALTH RESEARCH
  • 2–B POPULATION PROJECTIONS AND ESTIMATES
  • 2–C GROWING AND EMERGING USES: VITAL STATISTICS AND BIOSURVEILLANCE
• 3. The Federal-State Cooperative Relationship
  • 3–A THE ROLE OF THE STATES
  • 3–B CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS
  • 3–C EXAMPLES OF FEDERAL-STATE COOPERATION IN THE U.S. FEDERAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM
• 4. Methodological Issues and the 2003 Revision of Standard Instruments
  • 4–A THE 2003 REVISIONS
  • 4–B RACE AND ETHNICITY
  • 4–C FETAL DEATHS AND INFANT HEALTH RISK FACTORS
  • 4–D MORTALITY AND CAUSES OF DEATH
• 5. Options for a 21st Century Vital Statistics Program
• Appendixes
  • A The U.S. Vital Statistics System: The Role of State and Local Health Departments
  • B The U.S. Vital Statistics System: A National Perspective
  • C Workshop Agenda and Participant List
  • D 2003 Revisions, Standard Certificates of Death and Live Birth
• References
• COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL STATISTICS

Rapporteurs: Michael J. Siri and Daniel L. Cork.

Suggested citation:

National Research Council. (2009). Vital Statistics: Summary of a Work shop. Michael J. Siri and Daniel L. Cork, rapporteurs. Committee on National Statistics, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

Support of the work of the Committee on National Statistics is provided by a consortium of federal agencies through a grant from the National Science Foundation (Number SES-0453930). The project that is the subject of this report was funded by allocations from the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Social Security Administration (Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics) to the National Science Foundation under this grant. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.