142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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304648
Using National Death Index linkage to improve data on female breast cancer survival

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Awatef Ben Ramadan, MPH , Dept. of Health Management & Informatics, Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center/University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, MSPH, PhD , Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center/Dept. of Health Management & Informatics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
Chester Schmaltz, PhD , Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center/Dept. of Health Management & Informatics, University of Missouri--Columbia, School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
Nancy Cole, BS, CTR , MO Cancer Registry & Rsearch Center/Dept. of Health Management & Informatics, Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center, Columbia, MO
Saba Yemane, BS , Missouri Cancer Registry & Research Center/Dept. of Health Management & Informatics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
BACKGROUND: Complete survival data are needed to measure impact. The National Death Index (NDI) is a central computerized index of death record information. NDI linkage, final part of a multi-step process which begins with review of a state’s own vital statistics death file, provides a cost-effective method of obtaining information needed by public health/other researchers performing treatment outcomes and survival analyses.

PURPOSE: Enhance the central registry’s breast cancer survival data in a cost-effective manner.

METHODS:  After conducting death clearance and follow-back for all cancer cases diagnosed in 2011, Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center staff performed an NDI linkage for all female breast cancer cases diagnosed between 1996 and 2011 (N=66,603) marked alive (N=47,816) or dead, unknown cause (N=1,392). When necessary, staff manually reviewed linkage results to identify exact matches, then updated the database to include date of death, state and cause of death. We used a retrospective cross-sectional study design, entering matched data in Statistical Package of Social Sciences software to analyze it descriptively and inferentially.

RESULTS: We obtained death data for Missouri residents who died in other states, thereby improving survival data for Missouri women diagnosed with breast cancer. We measured correlations and inferential relationships between survival period and race, accessibility to healthcare services, stage at diagnosis and insurance coverage. We will present major findings in tables and graphs.

DISCUSSION: By having more complete survival data, Missouri’s breast and cervical cancer control program staff can better evaluate their program/implement changes. Information may be useful in decreasing disparities.

Learning Areas:

Clinical medicine applied in public health
Communication and informatics
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Explain the process of conducting National Death Index (NDI) linkage. Discuss the benefits of conducting NDI linkage. Describe how a breast and cancer control program could use survival analysis to help in efforts to reduce disparities.

Keyword(s): Cancer and Women’s Health, Data Collection and Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am director of the Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center and an Associate Research Professor in Health Management and Informatics University of Missouri School of Medicine. I supervised the research on which this presentation is based.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.