Table 4.
Changes in the death certificate by top five causes of death
| Cause of death (%) | ||||||
| Adults | Total (%)a | Stroke | Acute myocardial infarction | Other cardiovascular diseases | Other digestive diseases | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| Change necessary | 45.5 | 52.3 | 45.5 | 44.3 | 46.8 | 41.8 |
| Change in diagnosis | 16.2 | 9.7 | 15.6 | 9.2 | 18.2 | 10.5 |
| Change in sequence | 29.4 | 42.5 | 30.0 | 35.1 | 28.6 | 31.4 |
| Children | Total (%)a | Pneumonia | Sepsis | Gastroenteritis and colitis | Encephalitis | Meningitis |
| Change necessary | 42.1 | 39.5 | 52.1 | 60.0 | 38.2 | 39.3 |
| Change in diagnosis | 13.6 | 12.2 | 10.4 | 22.9 | 0 | 14.3 |
| Change in sequence | 28.5 | 27.2 | 41.7 | 37.1 | 38.2 | 25 |
Change in sequence: study physician changed the sequence of events leading to death
Change in diagnosis: medical records led the study physician to change the UCOD
aAll deaths