APPENDIX F SPELLING WORDS FOR SuperMICAR DATA ENTRY

CHAPTER II THE DEATH CERTIFICATE
In the following example, there are three causes reported. On line (c) the
underlying cause is entered—congenital heart disease. Congenital heart
disease gave rise to congestive heart failure (line b) which in turn led to a
myocardial infarction (line a)--the immediate cause of death.
I (a) Myocardial infarction
(b) Congestive heart failure
(c) Congenital heart disease
(d)
II
As demonstrated by the following example, the certifier may list more than
one cause per line.
I (a) Myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism with
congestive heart failure
(b)
(c)
(d)
II
Likewise, the causes may not be reported in an acceptable sequence. In
the following example, cancer is reported as due to diabetes.
I (a) Cancer
(b) Diabetes
(c)
(d)
II
To date, the causes of the majority of cancers are still unknown so the
causal relationship tables stored in the NCHS computer preclude the
assumption that diabetes caused the cancer. Cancer is selected as the
underlying cause of death from this certification for statistical purposes.
However, the selection of the underlying cause of death is not relevant for
this manual. For data entry purposes, the order and position of each cause
of death reported on the death certificate must be interpreted accurately so
5 2s January 2006