BACKGROUND
Almost all Indigenous deaths in Australia are registered. However it is thought that many are not being identified as Indigenous during the death registration process. Estimates of implied coverage of Indigenous deaths, as previously published by the ABS, are one measure of the undercoverage of Indigenous deaths in registered deaths data. See Deaths, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 3302.0). The CDE Indigenous Mortality Quality Study provides an alternative assessment of the quality of the Indigenous status identification in registered deaths data.
Death registrations data are provided to the ABS by the State and Territory Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Information supplied includes the Indigenous status of the deceased which is used by the ABS to produce estimates of Indigenous deaths. The information relates to all registered deaths including those referred to a Coroner. Prior to 2007, Indigenous status was recorded by the ABS based only on information supplied on Death Registration forms; that is, as reported by a relative, or other person acquainted with the deceased, or by an official of the institution where the death occurred. From 2007, the ABS has derived Indigenous status based on information supplied on the Death Registration form and the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (completed by medical practitioners). Estimates of Indigenous deaths are used by the ABS as an input for calculating Indigenous population and life expectancy estimates.
Indigenous status recorded on Census forms is as reported by the person completing the form and in many instances the question is not answered at all. A responsible adult can complete a Household Census form for themselves and on behalf of other household members; and officials of non-private dwellings can complete the form for people enumerated in nursing homes, prisons and other institutions. Interviewer Household Forms are used in discrete Indigenous communities and are completed by the Census collector using information provided by household members, therefore the Indigenous status question is more likely to have been answered on these forms.
By linking Census records with death registrations, the CDE Indigenous Mortality Quality Study aimed to:
- assess the undercoverage of Indigenous deaths in death registration records;
- identify factors that may be contributing to undercoverage of Indigenous deaths in death registrations; and
- assess the feasibility of calculating and applying adjustment factors to improve estimates of Indigenous mortality.
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