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| 1997 Annual Summary of Vital Statistics |
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Introduction
Definitions Rates and Ratios Symbols and Abbreviations Introduction The 1997 edition of the Annual Summary of Vital Statistics is a summary of data compiled from vital records for the 1997 calendar year. The content of this report includes summaries of vital events such as live births, fetal deaths, abortions, deaths, marriages, and marriage dissolutions documented by certificates and reports filed with the Office of Vital Statistics, Center for Health and Environmental Statistics. Please note that the 1997 edition of the Annual Summary contains more information on abortion data. We have also added samples of vital statistics reporting forms. This includes copies of certificates and reporting forms from which vital statistics data are gathered. This document provides its users with an overview of the events contributing to the health status of Kansans. The facts contained in this report are essential for effective health policy decisions and program planning. It is designed to provide governmental agencies, businesses, industries, and citizens with information on vital statistics in Kansas. Comments concerning the format or content of this report are welcomed. The Annual Summary of Vital Statistics is a summary of the health data collected by the State of Kansas on vital events. More detailed information is available upon request. The information contained in this report may be obtained electronically by contacting the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Center for Health and Environmental Statistics, Office of Health Care Information (785-296-5644). The Annual Summary of Vital Statistics is also available on the Internet at the KDHE home page on the World Wide Web. The address is: http://www.kdheks.gov/ohci/. For copies of this report please call(785-296-0632). ADA Statement: If you desire a copy of this publication in alternative form because of a disability, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Center for Health and Environmental Statistics, Office of Health Assessment, Landon State Office Building, Room 904-N, 900 SW Jackson , Topeka, KS 66612-1220 (785-296-0632). Please note: KDHE has recently moved to: 1000 SW Jackson, Topeka, KS 66611 (12-20-2001 - JC) Vital Events Registration of Kansas vital events (live births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and marriage dissolutions) decreased 3.1 percent from 95,121 in 1987 to 92,157 in 1997. (Table 1, Figure 2) Between 1987 and 1997, the most significant changes in vital events were a 61.4 percent increase in the out-of-wedlock birth ratio and a 19.6 percent decrease in the infant death rate. (Table 1) The number of out-of-wedlock births to Kansas residents reached a record high in 1997 at 10,260. This represented 27.6 percent of all Kansas resident births, which is the highest proportion ever reported. (Table 1) The live birth rate in 1997 (14.3) decreased 7.7 percent from the 1987 rate of 15.5. The death rate increased 2.2 percent, from 8.9 in 1987 to 9.1 in 1997. The marriage rate in 1997 decreased 12.2 percent, from 9.0 in 1987 to 7.9 in 1997. The marriage dissolution rate decreased 16.3 percent during this time period, from 4.9 to 4.1. (Table 1, Figure 3) The birth rate (14.3) for Kansas residents in 1997 increased for the first time after six consecutive years of decrease to 14.2 in 1996, the lowest on record (dating from 1935). (Table 1, Figure 3) Fetal, hebdomadal, perinatal, neonatal and infant death rates decreased from 1987-1997, with percentage decreases of 16.9, 14.9, 17.0, 13.0, and 19.6, respectively. (Table 1, Figure 3) In 1997, the number of couples married in Kansas declined as it has since 1992 and the number of marriage dissolutions (divorces and annulments) granted in the state also declined as it has since 1991. (Table 1) Almost half (10,075) of the marriages in 1997 were first marriages for both the bride and groom.(Figure2) Population Highlights Kansas increased in population from 2,572,150 residents in 1996 to 2,594,840 residents in 1997, a 0.9 percent increase. Butler, Johnson, and Jefferson counties had the largest increases in population from 1993 to 1997 with percent changes of 11.9, 10.6, and 9.9 respectively. Geary, Rush, Sheridan, and Decatur counties had the largest decreases in population with percent changes of 23.5, 9.3, 7.6, and 7.6 respectively. (Table 2) According to U.S. Census Bureau's intercensal estimates, there were 2,594,840 Kansans in 1997, an 11.9 percent increase in total population since 1977. (Figure 4) The rate of natural increase has steadily declined from a rate of 15.7 in 1957. In 1997, the natural increase rate was 5.2, a 4.0 percent increase from 5.0 in 1996. (Figure 5) The median age of Kansans in 1997 was 35.0 years, a 9.4 percent increase from the 32.0 median age in 1987. The median age for Kansas males and females in 1997 was 33.8 and 36.2 respectively. (Figure 6) The percent increase in the Kansas total population from 1987-1997 was 4.8 percent, including a 5.3 percent increase for Kansas males and a 4.4 percent increase for Kansas females. Shifts in the Kansas population distribution by age from 1987 to 1997 include decreases in the 0-4, 25-34, 55-64, and 65-74 age-groups of 6.8, 19.8, 6.8, and 2.7 percent respectively. An increase of 27.8 percent in residents 35-44 years of age and 40.3 percent in residents 45-54 years of age reflects the aging of the baby boomers. Furthermore, there was a 9.1, 1.1, and 13.1 percent increase in the 5-14, 15-24, and 75 and over age-groups respectively. (Figure 7, Table 4) The population density of Kansas was 31.7 persons per square mile in 1997, a 24.3 percent increase from 25.5 persons per square mile in 1957 and a 4.6 percent increase in population density since 1987. For comparison, the population density of the U.S. has increased from 47.5 to 71.6 persons per square mile from 1957 to 1997 respectively, a 50.7 percent increase. (Figure 8) In 1997, 27 of Kansas' 105 counties had population densities of less than 5.0 persons per square mile. The most sparsely populated county was Wallace, which had a density of 2.0 persons per square mile. The most densely populated county was Wyandotte, with 1010.8 persons per square mile. (Figure 9) Pregnancy Outcomes During 1997, 37,191 live births occurred to Kansas residents, representing a birth rate of 14.3 per 1,000 population. There was a 0.7 percent increase in the 1997 birth rate from the 1996 rate of 14.2.(Table 5) In 1997, Finney, Geary, and Ford counties had the highest county birth rates of 25.5, 25.1 and 21.4 births per 1,000 population respectively. Junction City, Garden City, and Dodge City had the highest 1997 city birth rates of 28.0, 26.6 and 25.1 births per 1,000 population respectively. ((Table 5) and Table 6, Figure 11) Geary, Finney and Seward counties had the highest five-year county birth rates of 27.9, 24.0 and 22.6 births per 1,000 population respectively. (Table 5) Since 1957, birth rates for Kansas followed national trends and have steadily declined. Kansas birth rates have decreased 43.9 percent during the last 40 years from a rate of 25.5 births per 1,000 population in 1957 to a rate of 14.3 in 1997. After being above the U.S. birth rate since 1975, the Kansas rate dropped below the national rate in 1987. (Table 7, Figure 10) Kansas fertility rates have followed national trends and indicate a steady decline from 133.1 to 65.6 births per 1,000 female population aged 15-44 in 1957 and 1997 respectively. The increase in the fertility rate from 68.0 in 1989 to 70.1 in 1990 can be explained, in part, by the use of actual census counts for the 1990 female population. The Kansas fertility rate in 1997 (65.6) was 0.9 percent higher than the national rate of 65.0. (Table 7, Figure 12) Age-specific fertility rates for Kansas during the years 1987-1997 decreased 8.5 percent for the 15-24 age-group. Subsequently, age-specific fertility rates increased 12.8 percent for the 25-34 age-group and 36.9 percent for the 35-44 age-group. These shifts in fertility rates by age-group reflect the continuing trend in Kansas for women to delay childbirth until later years. (Table 8, Figure 13) In 1997, 39.5 percent of all Kansas live births occurred to women in the 15-24 age-group, 49.4 percent of live births occurred to women in the 25-34 age-group and 10.9 percent occurred to women in the 35-44 age-group. For comparison, in 1997, 24.3 percent of all Kansas live births had fathers in the 15-24 age-group, 54.4 percent were in the 25-34 age-group and 19.4 percent had fathers in the 35-44 age group. (Table 9 and Table 10) Of the births to mothers 10-19 years of age, where the age of the father is known, just over one-third (37.2 percent) had fathers who were 10-19 while nearly two-thirds (62.8 percent) had fathers who were 20 and over. (Table 9) Almost eight percent (7.8) of live births in 1997 were preterm (less than 37 completed weeks of gestation) while 92 percent (92.2) occurred at 37 or more weeks of gestation. (Table 11) In 1997, 85.6 percent of all Kansas resident births were to mothers who received prenatal care that began in the 1st trimester (first 3 months) of pregnancy, 11.7 percent began in the 2nd trimester and 2.0 percent began in the 3rd trimester. Nearly 1 percent (0.7) received no prenatal care. (Table 12) In 1997, 81.4 percent of Kansas live births both occurred to women 15-34 years of age and weighed between 2,500-4,499 grams. (Table 14) Birth weights for Kansas live births in 1997 were distributed as follows: 6.9 percent of live births weighed under 2,500 grams (low birth weight), 91.5 percent weighed 2,500-4,499 grams (normal birth weight) and 1.6 percent weighed over 4,499 grams (heavy birth weight). (Table 13 and Table 14) In 1997, 39.0 percent of Kansas live births were first births. Of the 14,487 first births, 57.1 percent occurred to women in the 15-24 age-group. (Table 15, Figure 14) In 1997, 89.2 percent of Kansas live births were to white mothers, 7.5 percent were to black mothers and 3.3 percent were to mothers of other races. Furthermore, 51.4 percent of Kansas live births were male and 48.6 percent were female. (Table 16) In 1997, there were 10,260 out-of-wedlock births to Kansas residents. Of those births, 72.5 percent occurred to women in the 15-24 age-group. For comparison, in 1987, 72.9 percent occurred to women in this age group. (Table 17) The out-of-wedlock birth ratio has continued an upward trend over the years in both Kansas and the U.S. Out-of-wedlock births comprised 27.6 percent of all live births that occurred to Kansas residents in 1997, a 61.4 percent increase from 17.1 percent of live births in 1987. The out-of-wedlock birth ratio in 1997 was 14.8 percent lower than the U.S. proportion (32.4 percent) of births to unmarried women. (Figure 15) The pregnancy rate for females ages 10-19 increased 4.4 percent from 31.9 pregnancies per 1,000 in 1987 to 33.3 in 1997. Teen pregnancy rates for females ages 10-17 decreased 1.9 percent during this same time frame. (Table 18, Figure 16) In 1997, 87.2 percent of non-teen mothers of live births received prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy while only 71.4 percent of teen mothers received prenatal care in the first trimester. The percent of teens who received no prenatal care (1.5) was more than double that for non-teens (0.6). (Figure 17) Of the births to teenage women in 1997, 82.3 percent were to whites and 15.3 percent were to blacks. For comparison, in 1987, 79.6 percent of births to teenage women were to whites and 18.1 percent were to blacks. (Figure 18) In 1997, the abortion ratio for Kansas residents was 175.6 abortions per 1,000 live births, an increase of 66.6 percent from the 105.4 ratio in 1987. The large increase between the 1990 and 1991 abortion ratios (50.2 percent) does not reflect an increase in the number of abortions being performed but rather an increase in the number of providers reporting data. (Figure 19, Table 21) The abortion ratio for Kansas residents in 1997 varied substantially by age-group. The ratio per 1,000 live births was highest for adolescents-women under 20 years of age. Since 1980, the abortion ratio declined for those age-groups at the extremes - women under 20 and 35 years and older. (Figure 20) In 1997, 6,532 abortions that were reported were performed for Kansas residents and 4,973 were performed for non-Kansans. Of the 6,532 resident abortions, 258 occurred out of state. Residency was unknown for 2 abortions. (Figure 22, Table 21 and Table 23) Of Kansas residents having abortions, 57.4 percent were in the 15-24 age-group, 80.1 percent were unmarried and 79.1 percent were white. (Figure 22, Table 22) In 1997, 57.8 percent of all reported abortions occurred prior to nine completed weeks of gestational age. Over fifteen (15.7) percent of teenage women obtained an abortion after 16 weeks gestation, compared to 9.9 percent of women 20 and older. (Table 23)
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In 1997, 52.2 percent of the reported fetal deaths occurred to mothers in the 20-29 age-group. (Table 24) In 1997, 79.0 percent of all fetal deaths weighed less than 2,500 grams, with a fetal death rate of 57.9 deaths per 1,000 total births. For comparison, in 1987, 68.0 percent of reported fetal deaths weighed 2,500 grams or less but died at a rate of 65.2 deaths per 1,000 total births. (Figure 23) Examining the components that constitute perinatal period III mortality, the numbers of fetal deaths and hebdomadal deaths declined 53.0 percent and 69.5 percent respectively from 1967 to 1997. In 1997, there were 349 perinatal period III deaths representing a death rate of 9.3 deaths per 1,000 total births. This rate has decreased 64.0 percent from the 1967 rate of 25.8. (Table 25 and Table 26, Figure 24) A total of 274 infant deaths occurred to Kansas residents in 1997. The overall infant death rate for 1997 was 7.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, a decrease of 9.8 percent from the infant death rate of 8.2 in 1996. For comparison, the 1997 rate (7.4) represents a 62.6 percent decrease from the infant death rate of 19.8 in 1967. The white infant death rate was 6.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1997, a decrease of 63.9 percent from the rate of 18.3 in 1967. The black infant death rate in 1997 was 16.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, a decrease of 58.2 percent from the rate of 39.5 in 1967. (Figure 25, Table 27) During the five-year period, 1993-1997, the infant death rate for Kansas was 7.8. Chautauqua county had the highest infant death rate (31.8) during this time period while Neosho county had the lowest with an infant death rate of 2.0 per 1,000 live births. Ten counties had no infant deaths. (Table 28) Of all infant deaths, 41.2 percent were attributed to conditions originating in the perinatal period, 25.9 percent were attributed to congenital anomalies, 14.2 percent to sudden infant death syndrome and 18.7 percent to all other causes. (Table 29) The rate of maternal deaths for Kansas and the U.S. declined between 1967 and 1997. The maternal death rate for Kansas in 1997 was 1.3 deaths per 10,000 live births, a 35.0 percent decrease from the 1967 rate of 2.0. (Figure 27) Deaths There were 23,609 resident deaths recorded in Kansas during 1997, a decrease of 0.8 percent from the 1996 total of 23,788. (Table 31) Comanche, Smith, Decatur, and Osborne counties had the highest five-year (1993-1997) county death rates of 19.4, 18.1, 17,8, and 17.7 deaths per 1,000 population respectively. Riley, Douglas, Finney, and Johnson counties had the lowest five-year death rates of 4.1, 5.4, 5.6 and 5.7 deaths per 1,000 population respectively (Table 31, Figure 28) Belleville, Eureka, Anthony, and Neodesha had the highest five-year city death rates (1993-1997) of 23.6, 21.2, 20.5, and 20.2 respectively. Olathe, Lawrence, and Lenexa experienced the lowest five-year city death rates of 4.6, 5.0 and 5.2 respectively. (Table 32) The Kansas death rate in 1997 was 9.1 deaths per 1,000 population, which was 5.8 percent higher than the estimated U.S. rate of 8.6 deaths per 1,000 population. (Figure 29) The Kansas age-adjusted death rate was below that of the U.S. between 1987 and 1995. In 1997, Kansas and the U.S. had identical rates of 4.8 per 1,000 standard U.S. 1940 population. (Table 34, Figure 30) The average age at death of Kansas residents in 1997 was 74.2 years, a 2.3 percent increase from the average age at death of 72.5 years in 1987. (Figure 31, Table 35) The average age at death for the white population in 1997 was 74.9 years, twelve years older than that of the black population, whose average age at death was 62.9 years.(Table 36) The two leading causes of death in Kansas in 1997, heart disease and malignant neoplasms, had average ages at death of 79.0 and 71.2 years respectively. Atherosclerosis, with an average age at death of 87.2 years, had the highest average age at death of any of the leading causes of death. (Table 39) The average age at death for male unintentional injury victims for 1987 and 1997 was 41.2 and 46.0 respectively, while for females the average age was 54.8 and 58.5 years respectively. For this time period, the average age at death increased for female unintentional injury victims 6.8 percent while for male unintentional injury victims it increased 11.7 percent. (Table 39) The cause-specific death rate for suicides in Kansas was 12.4 deaths per 100,000 population in 1997. The rate for males (20.8) was nearly 5 times higher than the rate for females (4.2). (Table 39) The cancer death rate for 1997 was 200.3 deaths per 100,000 population, 8.0 percent higher than the rate of 185.5 in 1987. (Table 39 and Table 40) In 1997, the unintentional injury death rate was 38.0 deaths per 100,000 population, 7.5 percent lower than the rate of 41.1 in 1987.(Table 39 and Table 40) The Kansas homicide and legal intervention death rate was 6.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 1997, 12.9 percent lower than the U.S. rate of 7.0 in 1997. (Table 40) Heart disease, the number one cause of death in Kansas, reached a high of 393.4 deaths per 100,000 population in 1973 and gradually declined to 278.4 deaths per 100,000 population in 1997. Conversely, cancer rates have steadily increased from 140.6 to 207.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 1956 and 1996 respectively. In 1997, the cancer death rate decreased to 200.3 deaths per 1,000 population. (Figure 32) In 1997, Kansans died from cerebrovascular disease at less than half the rate of thirty-nine years ago with the death rates for this disease going from a high in 1958 of 137.0 to 66.1 in 1997. The death rate for unintentional injury also declined, going from 65.1 in 1957 to 38.0 in 1997, a 41.6 percent decrease. (Figure 32) In 1997, unintentional injury deaths were the leading cause of death for Kansas residents 1-44 years of age. (Figure 33) In 1997, cancer of the digestive organs, respiratory organs, and breast were the leading causes of cancer deaths in women. (Table 42) The dominant occupations for deaths due to unintentional injuries and homicides and legal intervention were operators, fabricators and laborers. (Table 46) Mortality in Kansas was responsible for 184,959 years of potential life lost in 1997. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Kansas, but accounted for the most years of potential life lost (42,585). Unintentional injuries represented more than two times the years of potential life lost among men (18,619 years) compared to women (8,588 years). (Table 48, Figure 34) Marriages In 1997, 20,537 marriages occurred in Kansas, a decrease of 0.6 percent from the 1996 total of 20,657 marriages. (Table 50) The greatest number of marriages (4,013) occurred in Sedgwick county, but Geary county had the highest marriage rate of 16.7 marriages per 1,000 population. Three counties tied for the least number of marriages: Comanche, Greeley, and Lane, each with 9. Gove county had the lowest marriage rate of 3.9 marriages per 1,000 population. (Table 50, Figure 35) The Kansas marriage rate in 1997 was 7.9 marriages per 1,000 population, which was 12.2 percent lower than the 1987 rate of 9.0. The 1997 rate was 11.2 percent lower than the estimated U.S. rate of 8.9. marriages per 1,000 population. (Figure 37) More wedding ceremonies were performed in June (11.6 percent) than any other month in 1997, with August and May being the second and third most popular months. (Figure 39) First-time marriages for both partners have made up less than half of the marriages in Kansas since 1985. The distribution between the categories remains relatively unchanged in 1997 with 49.2 percent of the total involving first-time partners. (Table 52) Kansas couples are delaying marriage. In 1987, 15.2 percent of the brides and 5.8 percent of the grooms were under 20 years of age. However, in 1997, 11.7 percent of the brides and 4.3 percent of the grooms were under 20. (Table 53) The average age of all brides in 1997 was 29.4 years and that of grooms was 31.5 years. Women marrying for the first time averaged 24.0 years while first time grooms averaged 26.3 years. Of those persons who remarried during 1997, women were, on the average, 37.7 years old and men were 40.9 years of age. (Figure 40) Marriage Dissolutions In 1997, 10,618 marriage dissolutions (10,358 divorces and 260 annulments) occurred in Kansas, a decrease of 1.5 percent from the 1996 total of 10,779. (Table 51 and Table 55) The greatest number of marriage dissolutions (2,850) occurred in Sedgwick county, but Coffey county had the highest marriage dissolution rate (15.8) per 1,000 population. Comanche county had no marriage dissolutions in 1997 and Wichita county had 2 with a marriage dissolution rate of 0.7 per 1,000 population. (Table 51, Figure 36) The Kansas marriage dissolution rate in 1997 was 4.1 marriage dissolutions per 1,000 population, which was 16.3 percent lower than the 1987 rate of 4.9. The Kansas rate in 1997 was the lowest since 1970. (Figure 38) Kansas has generally reported a higher marriage dissolution rate than the U.S. for most years since 1951. However, Kansas' rate in 1995 (4.3) was lower than the U.S. rate (4.4) for the first time since 1951. The Kansas rate in 1997 (4.1) continued to be lower than the nation (4.3). (Figure 38) The most common age-group of wives involved in marriage dissolutions in 1997 was 25-29, while for husbands it was the 35-39 age-group. For couples of the same age-group, the most common age-group was 25-29. (Table 54) The average age at marriage dissolution in 1997 was 34.6 years for wives and 36.8 years for husbands, as compared to 32.4 years for wives and 35.0 years for husbands in 1987. (Figure 41) In 1997, 44.0 percent of marriages ending in divorce or annulment lasted four years or less. (Table 55) There were 10,251 minor children affected as a result of marriage dissolutions in 1997. At least one minor child was reported in over half (53.3 percent) of the marriage dissolutions. (Table 56, Figure 42) Kansas Department of Health & Environment Center for Health and Environmental Statistics Office ofHealth Care Information  Technical Notes Registration. The reporting of Kansas vital events to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is mandated by law (K.S.A. 65-102). The filing of birth and death records was begun in 1911 and the registration of marriages and divorces was initiated in 1913 and 1951 respectively. Certificates of births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, marriage dissolutions, and reports of abortions are completed by the combined efforts of physicians, hospital personnel, funeral directors, and local courts. All certificates and reports are filed with the Office of Vital Statistics by direct reporting. Since registration of vital events began, over ten million records have been processed, filed and indexed. Quality of Data. The quality of the analyses in the Annual Summary of Vital Statistics depends on the accuracy of the Kansas vital statistics data. The Office of Vital Statistics makes every effort to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the certificates filed. An interchange agreement with all 50 states and Canada ensures that vital events occurring to Kansas residents in other states or Canada are recorded. Tabulation of vital events for 1997 is maintained through March 15, 1998. Reports filed after that date consist of less than one percent of the total reports filed, are considered negligible, and are omitted from this report. Residence vs Occurrence Data. Residence data is information compiled according to the usual residence regardless of where the event occurred (including events occurring out-of-state). Occurrence data is information compiled according to the geographical location where the event took place, regardless of the actual residence. Information compiled for births, fetal deaths, deaths and abortions in this report are residence data, while marriages and marriage dissolutions are occurrence data. Return to Top of Page Population County population counts for 1994-1997 were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of the Census in unpublished tables. County estimates for 1993 were based on U.S. Bureau of the Census counts as of July 1, 1992 and then were adjusted to the U.S.C.B. 1993 total for the state. City population estimates for 1993-1997 were derived as in the following example for 1997:
Population estimates by age-group and sex were obtained from the State Population and Household Estimates, with Age, Sex, and Components of Change: 1982-89, Series P-25, No. 1058, U.S.C.B. Population counts for 1990 were obtained from the Census of Population, U.S.C.B. Population estimates for 1991-1992 were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, Press Release CB92-93 and CB92-276, respectively. Population estimates for 1993-1996 were obtained from the Census and You, Vol. 29, No. 4, April 1994, Vol. 30, No. 4, April 1995, Vol. 31, No. 3, March, 1996 and Vol. 32, No. 7, July, 1997 U.S.C.B., respectively. Population estimates for 1997 were obtained on the Internet at: www.census.gov/population/estimates/state/97ageby5.txt. These estimates were used in age-specific and age-adjusted calculations. Due to rounding and variation in estimation methods within the U.S. Census
Bureau, some discrepancies may be found in population data. (Tables 2 and
4) Usually differences are negligible and rarely result in discrepancies in
the totals. We advise you to utilize state totals from the county population
totals when a total population estimate is needed. Derivation of Female Population 10-19. State estimates of the Kansas female population for 1987-1989 were only available for the 5-14 age-group. In order to estimate the female population 10-14 and 15-19, the 1980 proportion for each of these age groups within the 1980 5-14 age-group had to be derived. These estimates were calculated as in the following example for 1989.
The same calculation was used for the 15-19 age-group. Once the 10-19 age-group estimates were derived, they were used as denominators for calculating pregnancy rates for females 10-19. Actual population counts for 1990 and population estimates for 1991-1995 were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. The 1996-1997 county estimates for females 10-17 and 10-19 were compiled
by the U.S. Census Bureau as of 7/1/96. These estimates were then adjusted
to the 1997 Census total for the state. Deaths All causes of death are coded in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, (ICD-9), 1979, (World Health Organization). Accuracy of causes of death are dependent on the completeness of the information provided by the physician or coroner concerning immediate and underlying causes of death. The "underlying cause of death" is the cause considered responsible for the sequence of events leading directly to death. The MICAR (Mortality Medical Indexing Classification and Retrieval) computerized system is used to convert the exact disease terms reported on the death certificate to ICD codes. Once the appropriate codes are tabulated for a death, the codes are analyzed by the Automated Classification of Medical Entities (ACME) system as specified by the National Center for Health Statistics. Subsequently, a final underlying cause of death is assigned to each death. Age-adjusted Death Rates The direct method for calculating age-adjusted death rates was used in this report. Crude death rates (deaths/total population) are not sensitive to the variety of rates existing in a population. For example, crude death rates are higher among the elderly, but rates are lower in the younger age-groups. Large proportions of the elderly population may increase the crude death rate while death rates for other age-groups remain stable. Age-adjusting death rates eliminates the effects of differences in population composition with respect to age, race, sex, etc. Age-adjusted death rates are useful for comparison purposes and are only valid when compared to rates that were calculated in a similar manner. For this report, age-adjusted death rates were calculated using the U.S. 1940 standard population. Return to Top of Page Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) The YPLL, for this report, is a measurement of the number of years of potential life lost by each death occurring before the average life expectancy. This calculation provides more information on the societal impact of mortality. Years of life lost counts deaths at a younger age more heavily than those at older ages (e.g., the younger person has a greater potential for years left than an elderly person). YPLL were calculated by subtracting mid-point years of the 5-year age-groups from life expectancies for all Kansans and male and female Kansans as compiled by the Kansas Division of the Budget-State Demographer. The subtraction leaves a remainder - the years of potential life lost, which is then multiplied by the number of deaths in that particular age-group and subsequently all calculations for the five-year age-groups beginning with 0-4 and through over 85 are summed to provide the total years of life lost. In making the calculations, the age-groups with mid-points larger than the life expectancy were set to zero because they would not contribute years of life lost (e.g., they are over the life expectancy). For this report, the life expectancy for all Kansans is 77.11 years, males 73.61 and females 80.51 years. Rate Reliability Vital statistics are easily influenced by random variation and single-year rates can fluctuate from year to year. A multiple-year rate such as a five- or ten- year average of single-year rates would be more accurate in formulating conclusions on vital events. For example, although the infant death rate for Kansas was 8.7 in 1993 and 7.4 in 1997, the 1993-1997 five-year infant death rate for Kansas was 7.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. A five or ten-year rate smooths some of the variation in single-year rates and would be a more reliable indicator of infant death rates in Kansas. Rates based on a small or large number of events in a sparsely populated area can vary widely. To exemplify the variation that may occur with a small number of events, in 1997, Greeley county was the least populated county in Kansas with 1,728 residents and Sedgwick county was the largest with 438,679 residents. With 23 deaths occurring in Greeley county in 1997, the crude death rate would be 13.3 deaths per 1,000 population, whereas, 3,434 deaths occurring in Sedgwick county represents a crude death rate of 7.8 deaths per 1,000 population.
If five more deaths occurred in each county (e.g., multiple-death accident)
Greeley county's crude death rate would increase to 16.2 deaths per 1,000
population. Sedgwick county's crude death rate would increase by only a few
hundredths and with rounding, still remain 7.8 deaths per 1,000 population.
Therefore, one must use caution when comparing rates of vital events between
counties of extreme population size differences to avoid misleading conclusions.
Limitations of Pregnancy Outcome Data Prior to 1994, all births occurring at Irwin Army Hospital to Ft. Riley residents were recorded for Geary county even when Riley was the county of residence. Beginning in 1994, these births are recorded to the appropriate county of residence. From July,1970 through June,1995, only hospitals in Kansas were required
by K.S.A. 65-445 to keep and submit to the Secretary of the Department of
Health and Environment, written records of all pregnancies terminated in the
hospital. During this reporting period, nonhospital providers reported terminations
only on a voluntary basis. Although Kansas has a comprehensive coverage of
providers, there could be a small number of abortions not reported. This means
that the data may be, to a certain degree, underreported. However, effective
July 1, 1995, the Kansas legislature amended K.S.A. 65-445 in Senate Bill
384 to broaden the record-keeping and reporting requirement to include every
medical care facility and every person licensed to practice medicine and surgery.
Handling of Unknowns Items for which no response was provided are shown as "not stated" in the tables and graphs throughout this publication. To ensure the accuracy of the data, the "not stated" have been removed from totals when calculating percentages. Return to Top of Page Table of Contents |
