@article{ref1,
title="Underestimating injury mortality using statewide databases",
journal="Journal of trauma",
year="2005",
author="Mann, N. C. and Knight, Stephen and Olson, Lynn M. and Cook, Lawrence J.",
volume="58",
number="1",
pages="162-167",
abstract="BACKGROUND:: This study examines the potential for misclassifying injury-related deaths reported in Vital Statistics and assesses the rate of postdischarge death among injured patients released from hospital, emergency department (ED), and emergency medical services (EMS) care. METHODS:: Statewide death certificate, inpatient, ED, and EMS databases for 1996 through 1997 were probabilistically linked and information in each database compared. RESULTS:: One thousand two hundred ninety-four injured inpatients or ED patients were matched with a death certificate record that listed an injury (56.3%) or illness (43.7%) as the primary cause of death. Injured decedents with an illness-coded cause of death were older (p < 0.001), with causes of death indicative of chronic medical conditions. Few deaths occurred within 30 days of inpatient discharge (6%); however, 38% and 9% of deaths in ED and EMS databases occurred after discharge from health care, respectively. Many deaths among EMS and ED patients occur in subsequent phases of care. CONCLUSION:: Estimates of injury mortality substantially increase when using multiple independent databases.",
language="",
issn="0022-5282",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}