 Title: Cohort R89: Evaluation of Vietnam Veterans Mortality Ascertainment by VA Records
Summary: This cohort is composed of 4,393 veterans reported to have died in either 1982 or 1987 (2199 in 1982 and 2194 in 1987). Records of these deaths, as reported by the states of California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas, were then matched against VA files. The overall ascertainment rate for the total sample was 89.6%. When segmented into six subgroups, ascertainment was found to vary from a low of 66.8% (length of service less than 18 months) to a high of 100% (length of service 18 or more months, service in Vietnam, and death in the state of Ohio).
References:
Beebe GW, Simon, AH. Ascertainment of mortality in the US veteran population. American Journal of Epidemiology 1969; 89:636-46.
National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, Medical Follow-up Agency, Report on tests of the Veterans Administration computerized index system (BIRLS). Unpublished, Washington, DC 1974.
National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, Medical Follow-up Agency, Ascertainment of Mortality in the U.S. Vietnam Veteran Population, final report under contract V101(93)P-937, Washington, DC 1985.
Boyle CA, Decoufle P. National sources of vital status information: extent of coverage and possible selectivity in reporting. American Journal of Epidemiology 1990; 131:160-8.
Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Planning and Management Analysis, Management Sciences Service, Demographics Division, Veteran population statistics, unpublished, March 1989.
Keywords: veteran; mortality; ascertainment
Cohort Characteristics:
|
Data item |
N=4393 |
|
Social security number: |
100% complete |
|
Full name: |
100% complete |
|
Sex: |
67.5% complete |
|
Male: |
100% |
|
Race: |
95.5% complete |
|
White: |
81.8% |
|
Vital Status |
|
|
Date of death: |
100% complete |
|
Crude mortality: |
100% |
|
Cause of death: |
100% complete |
|
Date of birth: |
100% complete |
|