RE: “EXAMINATION OF CAUSE-OF-DEATH DATA QUALITY AMONG NEW YORK CITY DEATHS DUE TO CANCER, PNEUMONIA, OR DIABETES FROM 2010 TO 2014”

Abstract Background “Pneumonia and influenza” are the third leading cause of death in New York City. Since 2012, pneumonia and influenza have been the only infectious diseases listed among the 10 leading causes of death in NYC. Most pneumonia and influenza deaths in NYC list pneumonia as the underlying cause of death, not influenza. We therefore analyzed death certificate data for pneumonia in NYC during 1999–2015. Methods We calculated annualized pneumonia death rates (overall and by sociodemographic subgroup) and examined the etiologic agent listed. Results There were 41 400 pneumonia deaths during the study period, corresponding to an annualized age-adjusted death rate of 29.7 per 100 000 population. Approximately 17.5% of pneumonia deaths specified an etiologic agent. Age-adjusted pneumonia death rate declined over the study period and across each borough. Males had an annualized age-adjusted pneumonia death rate 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5–1.5) times that of females. Non-Hispanic blacks had an annualized age-adjusted pneumonia death rate 1.2 (95% CI, 1.2–1.2) times that of non-Hispanic whites. The annualized pneumonia death rate increased with age group above 5–24 years and neighborhood-level poverty. Staten Island had an annualized age-adjusted pneumonia death rate 1.3 (95% CI, 1.2–1.3) times that of Manhattan. In the multivariable analysis, pneumonia deaths were more likely to occur among males, non-Hispanic blacks, persons aged ≥65 years, residents of neighborhoods with higher poverty levels, and in Staten Island. Conclusions While the accuracy of death certificates is unknown, investigation is needed to understand why certain populations are disproportionately recorded as dying from pneumonia in NYC.

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Improving Quality of Cause-of-Death Reporting in New York City

Preventing Chronic Disease ◽

10.5888/pcd10.130227 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ann Madsen ◽

Elizabeth Begier

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Cause Of Death ◽

York City

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Cancer Mortality among Persons with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in New York City, 2001–2015

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofx162.135 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (suppl_1) ◽

pp. S58-S58

Author(s):

Chitra Ramaswamy ◽

Emily Westheimer ◽

Sarah Braunstein

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Cause Of Death ◽

York City ◽

Cancer Mortality ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

Vital Statistics ◽

Cd4 Count ◽

Transmission Risk ◽

The Mean

Abstract Background With the prolonged life-span of persons with HIV (PWH) due to anti-retroviral therapy, their cancer burden has increased. Cancer continues to be a leading cause of death among PWH. Studying cancer mortality can inform and guide the development of cancer screening and prevention strategies for PWH. Methods We analyzed data for all persons > = 13 years who were diagnosed with HIV from 2001 to 2015 and reported to the New York City (NYC) HIV surveillance registry (HSR). Using the HSR and the underlying cause of death obtained from the NYC vital statistics registry and the National Death Index, we examined age-specific and age-standardized mortality rates from cancer and compared time trends of deaths due to HIV-related8 cancer to deaths from non-HIV-related cancers. Results There were 34,190 deaths reported among 154,688 PWH of whom nearly half (n = 16,804; 49.1%) died due to HIV (excluding HIV-related cancers). Among all deaths, HIV was the leading cause, followed by cancer (both HIV and non-HIV-related) (n = 5,271; 15.4%) and cardiovascular disease (n = 3,724, 10.9%). The top three causes of non-HIV-related cancer deaths were lung cancer (n = 1,040; 19.7%), liver cancer (n = 552; 10.5%), and colorectal cancer (n = 315; 5.6%). Although the mortality rate among PWH decreased over time (24.4 to 13.9 per 1,000 person-years from 2001 to 2015), the proportion of deaths attributable to all cancers increased (10.6% in 2001 to 19.9% in 2015, p < .0001). This increase was driven by non-HIV-related cancers (6.1% of all deaths in 2001 to 15.8% in 2015, p < .0001). The mean age increased from 2001 to 2015 among the dead (46 to 56 years) and among the censored (35 to 49 years). After controlling for demographic factors, transmission risk, and last CD4 count, the hazard ratio for cancer deaths was higher among people who inject drugs (HR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.4–1.7) and those with last CD4 count < 200 (HR = 9.3; 95% CI = 8.3–10.5). Conclusion Although mortality rates are decreasing in PWH, deaths due to non-HIV-related cancers are increasing. The upward trend in the mean age suggests that aging may be contributing to this increase. Routine screening for liver and colon cancers along with smoking cessation may reduce lung, liver and colon cancer deaths. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

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Prevention of Falls from Windows

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.49.2.315 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 315-315

Author(s):

Fred Lathrop

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Cause Of Death ◽

York City ◽

Small Children ◽

Common Cause

Doctors Sieben, Leavitt, and French1 reported falls from windows to be common cause of death in New York City slums. My patients are trained to lower the windows from the top for ventilation when they have small children on upper floors, rather than to raise the windows from the bottom. If you have triple track storm windows and screens, the window units can be left at the bottom, and the screen raised to the top to correspond.

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