CDC/EIS,1999:London Fog-Instructor's Guide Page 14 To this point,we have used mortality data to characterize the health impact on humans Question 12:What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using mortality data to characterize health effects? Answer 12 Advantages convenient omem(artcatyn or opy) Accuracy of cause of death is variable todeath,.mis limited reisk factor information available on death certificate this situation data reflect date of registration(report).not date of death. data reflect county of residence,not place of death. Question 13:What other health data would be helpful in more accurately assessing the impact of the fog on the health of Londoners? Dependi on the svstems and rksd vork ab npatient and outpatient records,clinic visits,labs or chest X. absenteeism,etcCDC / EIS, 1999: London Fog - Instructor's Guide Page 14 To this point, we have used mortality data to characterize the health impact on humans. Question 12: What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using mortality data to characterize health effects? Answer 12 Advantages • Timely. In U.S., usually available at local health department within 1-2 weeks of death • In U.S., includes demographic info and cause(s) of death • convenient • reflects a serious effect on health! • data available for previous time periods for comparison • data available all over the world for comparison Disadvantages • Death certificates sometimes delayed • Death certificates sometimes incomplete (particularly if waiting for autopsy or lab results) • Accuracy of cause of death is variable • listed cause(s) of death may be inaccurate • will not detect health effects which do not lead to death, i.e., misses less serious disease • limited reisk factor information available on death certificate In this situation, • data reflect date of registration (report), not date of death. • data reflect county of residence, not place of death. Question 13: What other health data would be helpful in more accurately assessing the impact of the fog on the health of Londoners? Answer 13 Morbidity data would be nice. Depending on the systems and record-keeping used in London, morbidity data could include hospital inpatient and outpatient records, clinic visits, labs or chest X-rays requested, school and work absenteeism, etc