The Vital Statistics Query System has been developed to provide an interactive
Internet interface to obtain tabular summaries and statistical reports
from Californias birth and death vital statistics databases. The selection
process is broken down into the following levels:
Screen 1: Introduction and Selection of Statistical Methodology
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Data Definitions:
Birth Data Selection Criteria:
Statistical Formulas:
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Introduction [top of page] |
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This Internet offering has been designed to provide data from Vital Statistics birth and death databases for California and its 58 counties. The system provides the number of events along with the ability to apply population based statistical methods to those events. An event refers to the number of incidences in a specific location (county) for a given year (1995) for either births or deaths that has been taylored to the specific criteria selected. |
Following are the formulas with short descriptions regarding the statistics
you may use within this application.
| Statistical Term | Definition | Formula | |
| Count | Total number of events based on the criteria chosen | Percentages of the total are provided for comparison | |
| Vital Statistics Rate
Birth |
The count divided by the population of females based on those same criteria. These rates are only available for Age of Mother, Gender of Infant, and Race/Ethnicity of Mother. | live births
based on criteria female population for same criteria |
x 1,000 |
| Vital Statistics Rate
Death |
The count divided by the population based on those same criteria. These rates are only available for age, gender, and race/ethnicity of the decedent based on the selected cause of death. | deaths
based on criteria population for same criteria |
x 100,000 |
| Age-Adjusted Death Rate | Age-adjusted death rates are used to compare relative mortality risk across groups and over time. These rates show expected mortality if the age distribution of populations were the same. Age-adjusted rates are index numbers and cannot be compared to crude or other types of rates. | Click here to view
an example
calculation of an age-adjusted rate. Direct method and 1940 U.S. Standard Million population are used to calculate these rates. |
|
| Infant Death Rate | The number of infant deaths (age under 1) for the criteria selected divided by the total number of births based on those same criteria. | infant deaths
based on criteria number of births |
x 1,000 |
Age-adjusted
rates calculated in Center for Health Statistics reports follow the procedure
used in setting the Year 2000 national objectives. The standard population
used is the 1940 U.S. Standard Million. There are 11 age groups used in
the direct method of age-adjustment as shown in the following example:
| Deaths Due To All Causes, 1994, for Alameda County | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age
Groups |
1994
Deaths (A) |
1994
Population (B) |
Rates
Per 100,000 (C) |
1940 U.S.
Standard Proportions (D) |
Weighted
Rate Factors (E) |
| Total | 9,852.7 | 1,361,634 | 723.6 | ||
| <1 | 129.0 | 22,787 | 566.1 | 0.015343 | 8.68586 |
| 1-4 | 27.0 | 92,603 | 29.2 | 0.064718 | 1.88696 |
| 5-14 | 36.7 | 185,932 | 19.7 | 0.170355 | 3.35948 |
| 15-24 | 164.7 | 172,490 | 95.5 | 0.181677 | 17.34369 |
| 25-34 | 373.3 | 237,096 | 157.5 | 0.162066 | 25.51904 |
| 35-44 | 567.3 | 241,870 | 234.6 | 0.139237 | 32.65960 |
| 45-54 | 725.3 | 165,701 | 437.7 | 0.117811 | 51.57014 |
| 55-64 | 1,010.7 | 98,272 | 1,028.4 | 0.080294 | 82.57740 |
| 65-74 | 1,994.7 | 82,763 | 2,410.1 | 0.048426 | 116.71125 |
| 75-84 | 2,582.0 | 47,056 | 5,487.1 | 0.017303 | 94.94293 |
| 85+ | 2,242.0 | 15,064 | 14,883.2 | 0.002770 | 41.22636 |
| Age-Adjusted
Rate |
476.48 | ||||
| Step 1: | Array the number of deaths and population for the 11 age groups. (Columns A & B) | ||||
| Step 2: | Calculate age-specific rates by dividing the number of deaths by the population and multiply the result by 100,000. (Column C) | ||||
| Step 3: | Multiply each age-specific rate by the corresponding standard age proportion (Column D) and enter the result in Column E. | ||||
| Step 4: | Sum the rates in Column E to obtain the County Age-Adjusted Death Rate: 476.48 per 100,000 population. | ||||
For
further information on age-adjusted death rates, see:
Curtin, Lester R., and Richard J. Klein "Direct Standardization (Age-Adjusted
Death Rates)", Healthy People 2000 Statistical Notes. No. 6-Revised,
March 1995, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center
for Health Statistics, DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 95-1237.
The selection of county can be achieved by clicking on either the location on the map of California or the name of the county at the left margin. The entire state can be selected only by clicking on the name "California".
Database Selection
Click on the "Next Screen" button to bring up a screen that will allow further criteria selections to refine your query. Click on the "Reset" button to clear selections made on this screen.
[top of page] 1995
1996
1997 Alameda
through
Yuba
Alameda
through
Yuba
Female
Black
White
Asian/Other Year - The year in which the birth occurred.
Mother's Place of Residence - The place where the mother
usually resides. For this project, Alameda County through Yuba County will
be utilized to generate birth tabulations by mother's place of residence.
Place of Occurrence - The place where the child was born.
Like mother's place of residence, Alameda County through Yuba County will
be utilized to generate birth tabulations by place of occurrence.
Age of Mother - The mother's age on the day the child
was born.
Sex of Child - The sex of the child at birth. For this
query system, records coded "unknown" will be enumerated with the records
coded "male" when generating tabulations by sex of child. Furthermore,
each tabulation generated by the sex of the child will have a footnote
indicating the number of records of "unknown sex" that were included with
the "males".
Race/Ethnicity of Mother - The mother's self-reported
race/ethnicity. For this query system, race will be defined as the following
four groups: Hispanic, White (Non-Hispanic), Black (Non-Hispanic), and
Other/Unknown (Non-Hispanic).
Spanish/Hispanic Origin of Mother - The mother's self-reported
Spanish/Hispanic Origin. When creating tabulations by the four race groups
(Hispanic, White (Non-Hispanic), Black (Non-Hispanic), and Other/Unknown
(Non-Hispanic)), the mothers who are of Spanish/Hispanic Origin are enumerated
and grouped prior to the other three race groups.
Birthweight - The weight (in grams) of the child at birth.
For this project, records coded "not weighed" will be enumerated with the
records coded "not stated" when generating tabulations by birthweight.
In addition, low birthweight is under 2,500 grams, and very low birthweight
is under 1,500 grams.
Month Prenatal Care Began - The month in which the mother
first visited a physician or other health care provider for medical supervision
of her pregnancy. For data analyses, month prenatal care began is usually
grouped by trimester. First trimester is codes 1-3, second trimester is
codes 4-6, and third trimester is codes 7-9.
Year - The year in which the death occurred.
Decedent's Place of Residence - The place where the decedent
usually resided. This application is restricted to California and its 58
counties (Alameda County through Yuba County) for decedent's place of residence.
Decedent's that resided out of state or out of country are not available.
Place of Occurrence - The place where the decedent died.
Like decedent's place of residence, only California or Alameda County through
Yuba County will be utilized to generate death tabulations by place of
occurrence.
Age of Decedent - The decedent's age on the day he/she
died.
Sex of Decedent - The sex of the decedent at death.
Race/Ethnicity of Decedent - The decedent's reported race/ethnicity.
For this query system, race will be defined as the following four groups:
Hispanic, White (Non-Hispanic), Black (Non-Hispanic), and Other/Unknown
(Non-Hispanic).
Spanish/Hispanic Origin of Decedent - The decedent's reported
Spanish/Hispanic Origin. When creating tabulations by the four race groups
(Hispanic, White (Non-Hispanic), Black (Non-Hispanic), and Other/Unknown
(Non-Hispanic)), the decedents who are of Spanish/Hispanic Origin have
been enumerated and grouped prior to the other three race groups.
Underlying Cause of Death - The underlying cause of death
is the disease or injury that initiated the chain of events leading directly
to death. The underlying causes of death were coded using the International
Classification of Diseases - Ninth Revision (ICD-9). For this project,
67 group causes of death were selected to generate death tabulations by
underlying causes of death. These 67 groups, including their corresponding
ICD-9 codes are illustrated in the Death Selection Criteria section of
these instructions.
Last Updated February 18, 1998
Death Data
Year
County of
ResidenceCounty of
OccurrenceGender
Age of Decedent
Race/Ethnicity
of Mother
1994
California
California
Male
Under 1
1 4
5 14
15 24
25 34
35 44
45 54
55 64
65 74
75 84
85+Hispanic
Birth Statistics
Statistical Term
Definition
Formula
Number of Births
Total number of live births based on the criteria chosen.
Population
Total population based upon the specific criteria selected
such as the population in a specific sex, race and age group. Population
figures are based upon Department of Finance estimates or projections.
Percent of Total Births
Only available when the statistic "Count" is selected.
Row Condition
Row Totalx 100
Crude Birth Rate
Number of live births divided by the estimated or projected
total population.
number of live births
total populationx 1,000
Age-Specific Birth Rate
The number of births for the specific age group divided by the
estimated or projected population in that age group.
live births to women in specific age group
female population in that age groupx 1,000
Sex-Specific Birth Rate
The number of births in a specific gender divided by the estimated
or projected population in that gender.
live births in a specific sex group
population in that sex groupx 1,000
Race-Specific Birth Rate
The number of births in a specific race group divided by the estimated
or projected population in that race group.
live births in a specific race group
population in that race groupx 1,000
General Fertility Rate
The number of all births divided by the estimated or projected female
population ages 15 to 44.
number of live births
female population 15 - 44 years oldx 1,000
Death Statistics
Statistical Term
Definition
Formula
Number of Deaths
Total number of deaths based on the criteria chosen.
Population
Total population based upon the specific criteria selected
such as the population in a specific sex, race and age group. Population
figures are based on Department of Finance estimates or projections.
Crude Death Rate
Number of deaths divided by the estimated or projected total
population.
number of deaths
total populationx 100,000
Age-Specific Death Rate
The number of deaths in a specific age group divided by the estimated
or projected population in that age group.
number of deaths within a specific age group
population in that age groupx 100,000
Sex-Specific Death Rate
The number of deaths in a specific gender divided by the estimated
or projected population in that gender..
deaths in a specific sex group
population in that sex groupx 100,000
Race-Specific Death Rate
The number of deaths in a specific race group divided by the estimated
or projected population in that race group.
deaths in a specific race group
population in that race groupx 100,000
Cause-Specific Death Rate
The number of deaths due to a specific cause of death divided by the
estimated or projected population.
deaths from a specific cause
total populationx 100,000
Definitions
Definitions