TECHNICAL NOTE 1 CAUSES OF DEATH REVISIONS 2006
OVERVIEW
1 There have been two process improvements implemented by the ABS in recent years which have improved the quality of data, with the biggest improvements seen in the external cause chapter and for coroner certified deaths. These processes were both implemented for the 2008 reference year. The first was a revisions process outlined in Explanatory Notes 35-39 and the second was in relation to the use of additional information stored within reports on the NCIS, see Explanatory Notes 63-73 for further information. The following technical note outlines the impact of the revisions process on 2006 data.
2 Previous publications of the Causes of Death, Australia indicated that all coroner certified deaths registered after 1 January 2007 are now subject to a revisions process. In order to improve the quality of historical data, the 2006 reference year data has also been revised as part of the Causes of Death, Australia, 2010 release. Therefore in the current release, 2006, 2007 and 2008 data is final, 2009 data is revised and 2010 data is preliminary. 2009 and 2010 data is subject to further revisions.
3 The process for revising the 2006 reference year was similar to the standard revisions methodology. Deaths that were reviewed were those that were open or unmatched at the time 2006 data were released. The difference between the process for 2006 and that for subsequent years, was that quality checks were run on all 2006 coroner certified records, not just those that were in scope for revisions. As a result, some additional records were reviewed and potentially revised. Specific codes that were targeted by quality checks included
- records with unspecified codes (e.g. R99, X59, X84, Y09).
- records with certain mechanisms and an intent of accident (e.g. W76 - accidental hanging and strangulation)
PRELIMINARY CODING
4 This section provides information on preliminary data for the 2006 and 2010 reference years.
5 The number of deaths coded to R99 (other ill-defined and unspecified causes of mortality) was higher in 2006 (930) than in 2010 (504). Similarly the number of deaths coded with unspecified mechanism (X59, X84, Y09) was higher in 2006 (384) than 2010 (93). Preliminary 2006 data was processed prior to the implementation of coding improvements.
6 The number of deaths with an undetermined intent was 0.1% for preliminary 2006 data (135) and 0.5% for 2010 preliminary data (680). Due to changes in coding rules for ICD-10 in 2007, processing of data up to and including the 2006 reference year assigned a finding of 'Undetermined intent' only where this was the official coronial finding. Other deaths where either intent was 'not known' or 'blank' on the NCIS record, were coded with an intent of 'accidental'.
Selected Causes of Death, Preliminary data
- Australia
- 2006 & 2010(a)
IMPACT OF REVISIONS
7 This section provides information on data movements for 2006 associated with the revisions process. Revisions of 2006 data has led to:
- a reduction in the number of Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99) by 610 deaths;
- an increase of 244 deaths in Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99);
- an increase of 257 deaths in External causes of morbidity and mortality (V01-Y98).
Table 1 - CAUSES OF DEATH REVISIONS (PRELIMINARY, FINAL), by ICD 10 chapter - 2006 |
|
 | Preliminary | Final | Change (preliminary to final) | |
| Cause of death and ICD-10 code | no. | no. | no. | % |
|
| Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99) | 1 960 | 1 969 | 9 | 0.5 |
| Neoplasms (C00-D48) | 39 753 | 39 770 | 17 | 0.0 |
| Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89) | 497 | 495 | -2 | -0.4 |
| Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90) | 5 138 | 5 158 | 20 | 0.4 |
| Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99) | 5 156 | 5 139 | -17 | -0.3 |
| Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99) | 4 903 | 4 928 | 25 | 0.5 |
| Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) | 45 670 | 45 914 | 244 | 0.5 |
| Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99) | 10 863 | 10 877 | 14 | 0.1 |
| Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93) | 4 502 | 4 534 | 32 | 0.7 |
| Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99) | 333 | 333 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99) | 1 076 | 1 081 | 5 | 0.5 |
| Diseases of the genitourinary system (N00-N99) | 3 295 | 3 299 | 4 | 0.1 |
| Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96) | 658 | 653 | -5 | -0.8 |
| Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99) | 547 | 553 | 6 | 1.1 |
| Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99) | 1 525 | 915 | -610 | -40.0 |
| External causes of morbidity and mortality (V01-Y98) | 7 840 | 8 097 | 257 | 3.3 |
| All causes(a) | 133 739 | 133 739 | 0 | 0.0 |
|
| (a) Includes deaths coded to H00-H59, H60-H95 and O00-O99. |
8 The following table shows the impact of the revisions process on 2006 data at the sub-chapter level with the following notable reductions:
- Other ill-defined and unspecified causes of mortality (632 deaths);
- Accidental exposure to other and unspecified factors (278 deaths);
- Other accidental threats to breathing (155 deaths).
9 and the following notable increases:
- Intentional self-harm (319 deaths);
- Event of undetermined intent (130 deaths);
- Assault (101 deaths);
- Car occupant injured in transport accident (83 deaths).
Table 2 - CAUSES OF DEATH REVISIONS (PRELIMINARY, FINAL), by ICD-10 selected causes - 2006 |
|
| | | Change from prelim to final |
| Preliminary | Final | | |
| Cause of death and ICD-10 code | no | no. | no. | % |
|
| Sudden infant death syndrome (R95) | 66 | 89 | 23 | 34.8 |
| Other ill-defined and unspecified causes of mortality (R99) | 1 131 | 499 | -632 | -55.9 |
| Pedestrian injured in transport accident (V01-V09) | 254 | 259 | 5 | 2.0 |
| Pedal cyclist injured in transport accident (V10-V19) | 37 | 40 | 3 | 8.1 |
| Motorcycle rider injured in transport accident (V20-V29) | 232 | 254 | 22 | 9.5 |
| Car occupant injured in transport accident (V40-V49) | 811 | 894 | 83 | 10.2 |
| Occupant of pick-up truck or van injured in transport accident (V50-V59) | 48 | 56 | 8 | 16.7 |
| Occupant of heavy transport vehicle injured in transport accident (V60-V69) | 36 | 49 | 13 | 36.1 |
| Other land transport accidents (V80-V89) | 152 | 144 | -8 | -5.3 |
| Water transport accidents (V90-V94) | 36 | 39 | 3 | 8.3 |
| Air and space transport accidents (V95-V97) | 36 | 46 | 10 | 27.8 |
| Falls (W00-W19) | 1 225 | 1 288 | 63 | 5.1 |
| Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces (W20-W49) | 182 | 119 | -63 | -34.6 |
| Exposure to animate mechanical forces (W50-W64) | 23 | 20 | -3 | -13.0 |
| Accidental drowning and submersion (W65-W74) | 212 | 209 | -3 | -1.4 |
| Other accidental threats to breathing (W75-W84) | 409 | 254 | -155 | -37.9 |
| Exposure to electric current, radiation and extreme ambient air temperature and pressure (W85-W99) | 20 | 22 | 2 | 10.0 |
| Exposure to smoke, fire and flames (X00-X09) | 71 | 68 | -3 | -4.2 |
| Exposure to forces of nature (X30-X39) | 47 | 50 | 3 | 6.4 |
| Accidental poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances (X40-X49) | 701 | 704 | 3 | 0.4 |
| Accidental exposure to other and unspecified factors (X58-X59) | 795 | 517 | -278 | -35.0 |
| Intentional self-harm (X60-X84)(a) | 1 799 | 2 118 | 319 | 17.7 |
| Assault (X85-Y09) | 155 | 256 | 101 | 65.2 |
| Event of undetermined intent (Y10-Y34) | 135 | 265 | 130 | 96.3 |
| Drugs, medicaments and biological substances causing adverse effects in therapeutic use (Y40-Y59) | 49 | 50 | 1 | 2.0 |
| Surgical and other medical procedures as the cause of abnormal reaction of the patient, or of later complication, without mention of misadventure at the time of the procedure (Y83-Y84) | 225 | 217 | -8 | -3.6 |
| Sequelae of external causes of morbidity and mortality (Y85-Y89) | 126 | 132 | 6 | 4.8 |
|
| (a) Care needs to be taken in interpreting figures relating to suicide. See Explanatory Notes 98-101. |
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