Usefulness of tobacco check boxes on death certificates: Texas, 1987-1998

J.C. Zevallos, P. Huang, M. Smoot, K. Condon and C. Alo

American Journal of Public Health, 2004, vol. 94, issue 9, 1610-1613

Abstract: Objectives. We compared reports of deaths in which tobacco use was a contributing factor ("tobacco-associated deaths") before and after the addition to death certificates in Texas of a check-box question asking whether tobacco use contributed to an individual's death. Methods. We examined Texas vital statistics files from 1987 to 1998. We calculated differences in percentages of reported tobacco-associated deaths (and 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for the periods 1987 to 1992, before the addition of the check-box question, and 1993 to 1998, after the additon of the check-box. Results. Reports of tobacco-associated deaths were significantly less frequent before addition of the check-box question (0.7%; 95% CI = 0.4%, 1.0%) than after addition of the question (13.9%; 95% CI = 13.0%, 14.7%). From 1993 to 1998, percentages of tobacco-associated deaths reported on the check-box question increased steadily. Conclusions. The addition of a tobacco-associated-death check box on Texas death certificates significantly increased reporting of tobacco use contributions to mortality.

Date: 2004
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:2004:94:9:1610-1613_0

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