New Mexico Vital Records and Health Statistics Data

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New Mexico Vital Records and Health Statistics
Data

• Kimberley Peters
• November 17, 2004

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History of Vital Records

• 16th century - Bills of Mortality issued in
  London. John Graunt first to analyze.
• 1880-Massachusetts and New Jersey first states to
  enter the U.S. Vital Statistics System.
• 1919- NM began registering births and deaths as
  part of the newly-created Health Department.
• 1928-NM joined U.S. Vital Statistics system.

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Benefits of Vital Statistics Data

• Due to legal (and financial) aspects of vital
  certificates, we have data for virtually all
  births and deaths.
• High Quality.
• State, National, and International
  Comparability.

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Data Timelines

• Birth file is closed 6 months after the end of
  the calendar year.
• Death file is closed 7-8 months after the end
  of the calendar year.
• Preliminary data files are ready about 10
  months after end of the year.

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Current Birth Registration Process

• Hospital enters information into electronic birth
  certificate software (EBC) using worksheets and
  medical records.
• If midwife or non-EBC hospital, paper birth
  certificate is completed and key-entered by VRHS
  staff.
• Electronic data is coded and run through internal
  program and edits.
• Data file is prepared and sent to data users.
• Statistics are calculated and published.

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Current (Paper) Death Registration Process

• Funeral industry or OMI initiates death
  certificate process.
• Physician completes Cause of Death Section and
  Injury section (OMI).
• Funeral industry completes demographic section
  and assures certificate has physician signature.
• Funeral industry brings certificate to one of 26
  local registrar offices.
• Registrar verifies that certificate is complete
  and correct.

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Current (Paper) Death Registration Process
Continued.

• State vital records office hand numbers and codes
  items on the death certificate, including
  demographic and cause of death.
• Certificate is key entered.
• Data file goes through cause-of-death software
  package.
• Data file is prepared and sent to data users.
• Statistics are calculated and published.

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Birth Data 27,799 (2003)

• MAJOR DATA ELEMENTS
• Mom Baby
• Age and Marital Status Race/Ethnicity
• Spacing Between Births Sex
• Multiple Births Birth
  Weight
• Methods of Delivery
• Abnormal Conditions
• Cesarean/Vaginal Births
• Prenatal Care
• Race/Ethnicity
• Education
• County (with justification)

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Death Data 14,493 (2003)

• MAJOR DATA ELEMENTS
• Age
• Sex
• Cause Manner of Death
• Race/Ethnicity
• Education
• Injury at Work
• Occupation/Industry
• Marital Status
• County (with justification)

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Data Products Services

• Publications
• Aggregate level data requests
• Interactive Web System NewMICA
• Data Files

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Vital Records and Health Statistics
Publications
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County Profiles
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Vital Fact/Vital Quiz
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Vital Statistics Data Release Practices

• Data Release Protocol.
• Identified Types of Data
• - Aggregate Data
• - Special Request Data Files.

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Aggregate Level Data Release

• Data requestors complete a simple data request
  form for summary data.
• Send an email to
• vrhsdata_at_health.state.nm.us

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Special Data File Requirements

• Completion of BVRHS Protocol
• Research proposal, if available
• IRB approval, if available
• Justification of confidential/identifiable
  information
• Files may not be copied or shared
• Review of publication/presentation statistics are
  requested.

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Considerations for Data Release

• Balancing the protection of confidential birth
  and death records while still providing necessary
  data for public health research.
• NM is a Closed Record State.
• Birth Records are confidential for 100 years
  after birth, unless individual is alive Death
  Records are confidential for 50 years after
  death.
• Data release is based on VRHS protocol and
• team decision.

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Contact Information

• DOH Website
• http//www.health.state.nm.us/
• Vital Records Data Request
• vrhsdata_at_health.state.nm.us
• kimberley.peters_at_doh.state.nm.us

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Thank you!