Pathological Reports for Mortality Statistics

It has been supposed that the accuracy of mortality statistics could be improved by requiring that statements of the cause of death, as originally reported on the death certificate, be subsequently revised in the light of the autopsy report. This hypothesis was tested in a study of 5,217 autopsy reports in the year 1956. Of this number only 794 (15.2%) indicated changes in the stated cause of death. The impact on the final statistics was practically negligible, and the gain in accuracy did not seem sufficient to justify the labor expended in making the proposed changes. Improvements in procedure are still possible, especially in some localities. Physicians should be encouraged to review gross autopsy findings before completing death certificates, but the proposed requirement that the pathologist submit a later report has evident disadvantages.