Information on causes of death and perinatal deaths is obtained from a complete enumeration of deaths registered during a specified period and are not subject to sampling error. However, causes of death and perinatal deaths data sources are subject to non-sampling error which can arise from inaccuracies in collecting, recording and processing the data. Although it is considered likely that most deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians are registered, a proportion of these deaths are not registered as Indigenous. Information about the deceased is supplied by a relative or other person acquainted with the deceased, or by an official of the institution where the death occurred and may differ from the self-identified Indigenous origin of the deceased. Forms are often not subject to the same best practice design principles as statistical questionnaires, and respondent and/or interviewer understanding is rarely tested. Over-precise analysis of Indigenous deaths and mortality should be avoided. Causes of death statistics are released with a view to ensuring that they are fit for purpose when released. Supporting documentation for causes of death statistics are published and should be considered when interpreting the data to enable the user to make informed decisions on the relevance and accuracy of the data for the purpose the user is going to use those statistics. To meet user requirements for timely data it is often necessary to obtain information from the administrative source before all information for the reference period is available (e.g. finalisation of coronial proceedings). A balance needs to be maintained between accuracy (completeness) of data and timeliness, taking account of the different needs of users. All coroner certified deaths registered after 1 January 2007 will be subject to a revision process. Causes of death data for 2007 has been subject to two rounds of revision, while the 2008 causes of death data has been subject to the single round of revision, and the 2009 causes of death are preliminary and therefore have not been subject to the revisions process. This is a change from previous years where all ABS processing of causes of death data for a particular reference period was finalised approximately 13 months after the end of the reference period. Where insufficient information was available to code a cause of death (e.g. a coroner certified death was yet to be finalised by the Coroner), less specific ICD codes were assigned as required by the ICD coding rules. The revision process enables the use of additional information relating to coroner certified deaths as it becomes available over time. This results in increased specificity of the assigned ICD-10 codes. See Technical Note: Causes of Death Revisions in Causes of Death, Australia, 2009 (Cat. no. 3303.0). All ERP data sources are subject to non-sampling error. Non-sampling error can arise from inaccuracies in collecting, recording and processing the data. In the case of Census and Post Enumeration Survey (PES) data every effort is made to minimise reporting error by the careful design of questionnaires, intensive training and supervision of interviewers, and efficient data processing procedures. The ABS does not have control over any non-sampling error associated with births, deaths and migration data. For more information see the Demography Working Paper 1998/2 - Quarterly birth and death estimates, 1998 (Cat. no. 3114.0) and Australian Demographic Statistics (Cat. no. 3101.0). Non-Indigenous estimates are available for census years only. In the intervening years, Indigenous population figures are derived from assumptions about past and future levels of fertility, mortality and migration. In the absence of non-Indigenous population figures for these years, it is possible to derive denominators for calculating non-Indigenous rates by subtracting the Indigenous population from the total population. Such figures have a degree of uncertainty and should be used with caution, particularly as the time from the base year of the projection series increases. Non-Indigenous data from the Causes of Death collection and Perinatal collection do not include death registrations with a 'not stated' Indigenous status. Due to potential over-reporting of WA Indigenous deaths for 2007, 2008 and 2009, WA mortality data for these years (including aggregates of years and jurisdictions) are not included in this report. The WA Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and the ABS are investigating the quality of Indigenous status recording in WA deaths data, with an update on progress anticipated in early 2012. Some rates are unreliable due to small numbers of deaths over the reference period. Resultant rates could be misleading, for example where the non-Indigenous mortality rate is higher than the Indigenous mortality rate for some causes. All rates in this indicator must be used with caution. |