The Current Status and Future of Annual Vital Statistics Reports

1
The Current Status and Future of Annual Vital
Statistics Reports
By Garland Land NAPHSIS Executive Director
2
Survey Methods

• 26 Responses
• Responses from large and small states
• Closed and open ended questions

3
Annual report survey results

• Most jurisdictions (24) have an Annual Vital
  Statistics Report
• The number of months after the end of the
  calendar year before the report is released
  ranges from 6-50 months.
• The median is 12 months

4
Most jurisdictions produce a report with
primarily just tables and graphs

• 15 jurisdictions produce a report with just
  tables and graphs
• 5 jurisdictions produce a report that includes
  descriptive analysis
• 5 jurisdictions produce a report that includes
  both tables, graphs, and analysis

5
Most Jurisdictions (16) have changed their report
in the last 10 years

• More analysis
• Less analysis
• Added color
• Added trends
• Added maps
• Added age adjusted rates
• Reduced the size
• Printing fewer copies
• Using SAS to produce the report

6
Most Jurisdictions still produce Hard copies

• 19 publish by hard copy and on website
• 4 publish on website only
• 1 publishes hard copy only

7
Most jurisdictions publish analytic, descriptive
reports besides their annual report

• 18 jurisdictions publish analytical, descriptive
  reports
• 8 jurisdictions do not publish analytical,
  descriptive reports

8
Most jurisdictions have a web based query system
(WDQS)

• 16 have a WDQS
• 9 do not have WDQS
• Few jurisdictions (4) have changed their reports
  because of WDQS

9
Most jurisdictions produce reports for community
assessment

• 22 jurisdictions produce community assessment
  reports
• 4 jurisdictions do not produce community
  assessment reports

10
There is not a strong interest in having NAPHSIS
DEVELOP report standards

• 9 jurisdictions would like to have NAPHSIS
  develop report standards
• 11 jurisdictions are not interested in NAPHSIS
  developing report standards
• 6 are not sure

11
There is an interest in having naphsis develop
statistical standards

• 18 jurisdictions indicated interest in NAPHSIS
  statistical standards
• 8 jurisdictions showed no interest in NAPHSIS
  statistical standards

12
Reasons for delays in producing annual reports

• Waiting on out of state records
• Waiting on population estimates
• Devoting staff to WDQS
• Devoting staff to re-engineering

13
Hopes and plans for the future

• Hope to produce more timely provisional data
  because of EBR and EDR
• Would like to have NAPHSIS compare the NCHS
  standards with other agency standards (NCI,
  Injury Program, EPHTN, etc.)
• Want to develop seamless way to generate report
  ready tables and graphs
• Considering doing away with hard copy report
• Expect to print fewer copies
• Plan to do more topical reports
• Hoping STEVE will help improve timeliness
• Doing a user evaluation