1939: Vital Statistics

The scope of vital statistics is defined as the numerical registration, tabulation, and analysis of data dealing with population, marriages, divorces and diseases. Official vital statistics in the United States Division of Vital Statistics have been for the most part limited to births and deaths; but in 1939 the activities of the Division of Vital Statistics were expanded to include criminal and judicial statistics, marriage and divorce data, statistics of patients in mental institutions and more complete information relating to births and deaths in hospitals.

Birth and Death Rates.

The volumes published annually, 'Mortality Statistics' and 'Birth, Stillbirth and Infant Mortality Statistics,' have been revised. The data for 1937 appear in two new volumes, one containing vital statistics by place of occurrence and the other presenting the data by place of residence. The year 1939 also saw revisions of the International List of Causes of Death, the Manual of Joint Causes of Death and the Physician's Pocket Reference Manual. These publications represent noteworthy advances in the effort to place mortality statistics from various sources on a comparable basis. Extensive field work was also carried on during the year in order to secure and to maintain completeness in the registration of births and deaths and to improve the completeness and accuracy of the data recorded upon the original certificates.

In conjunction with the 16th Decennial Census, a number of major projects are planned. One of these projects is the testing of the completeness of birth registration by checking the transcripts against the census enumeration data. Other studies contemplated include (a) analysis of problems involved in residence allocation, (b) study of the international comparability of mortality statistics on the basis of the old and new International List of Causes of Death, and (c) special tabulations of certain important causes of death such as cancer, heart disease, maternal and infant mortality, tuberculosis, etc. It is also proposed to publish natality and mortality rates for the 20- or 40-year period ending with 1940. Special studies of occupational mortality and fatal accidents will also be conducted.

Death Rates in United States by Causes.

According to the latest available mortality statistics, the general death rate for the United States Registration Area appears to be continuing its downward progress. The death rate declined from 11.2 in 1937 to 10.6 per 1,000 population in 1938. The ten leading causes of death accounted for about 69 per cent of the total deaths in 1938. The most striking change to be noted in the comparison of specific mortality data for 1937 and 1938 occurs in the case of influenza and pneumonia. The death rate for influenza and pneumonia dropped from a rate of 114.5 deaths per 100,000 population in 1937 to 80.2 in 1938. How much of the sharp decline in the death rate from this cause is due to recent advances and wider application of pneumonia serum therapy is difficult to evaluate at present. Although tuberculosis still ranks sixth as a cause of death, the tuberculosis death rate for 1938 was the lowest ever recorded for the United States. The number of persons killed in motor-vehicle accidents in 1938 was 30,564, which is 6,641 fewer than the number reported for 1937. However, motor-vehicle accidents still constitute an important cause of death in the United States. (See also ACCIDENT PREVENTION.)

Comparative Mortality Rates by Causes.

The mortality experience of the United States as compared with that of Canada and certain European countries shows that the general death rate for the United States in 1936 was approximately the median rate for the group. In the interpretation of comparative mortality statistics, it should be kept in mind that certain differences in rates may result from variations in such factors as procedure employed in the assignment of the primary cause of death, completeness of reporting and registration, age and sex composition of the population, and certain other population characteristics. (See also CHILD WELFARE.)

Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates.

The infant mortality rate has been steadily declining in the United States Birth Registration Area since 1915. The infant death rate was 51.0 per 1,000 live births in 1938 as compared to 99.9 in 1915. The infant mortality rate for the previous year, 1937, was 54.4 per 1,000 live births. The maternal mortality rate was 4.5 per 1,000 live births in 1938 which is a slight decline from the 1937 rate of 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Trends of Birth and Death Rates.

The birth rate, in conjunction with the death rate, is a major factor in population growth. Although the trend of the total death rate of the United States has been slowly declining, the birth rate has also been falling. There was a steady downward trend in the birth rate during the period between 1915 and 1933. However, the decline appears to have been checked about 1934 and there have been only slight changes in recent years.