MAHATMA HANS RAJ D.A.
V INSTITUTE OF NURSING
JALANDHAR
SUBJECT: NURSING RESEARCH AND STATISTICS
ASSIGNMENT
ON
VITAL HEALTH STATISTICS
SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:
RESPECTED MRS. JOPHY
ELEZABETH GEORGE
MUSKAN
PROFESSOR
[Link] (N) 1ST YEAR
(Child Health Nursing)
Obstetrics & Gynaecology Nursing
MHR DAV INSTITUTE OF
NURSING, JALANDHAR
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VITAL HEALTH STATISTICS
INTRODUCTION
Vital statistics numerical data and information related to significant life events within a
population. These events typically include births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and other key
life events that are crucial for understanding the demographics, health, and social dynamics
of a population. The statistics derived from registration of these vital events is known as
"vital statistics". Vital statistics are essential for government agencies, researchers,
policymakers, and public health professionals, as they provide valuable insights into the
characteristics and trends within a population. The aim of vital statistics is to provide the
tools for studying population dynamics, i.e., the change in population composition with
reference to sex, age, education, birth, marriage, deaths, economic status, etc. Thus,
systematic registration of vital events is important.
DEFINITION
"Vital statistics are the statistics relating to the most important events of human life, such as
births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and health status."
- World Health Organization
"Vital statistics are statistics on births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and other health-related
events."
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
"Vital statistics are the collection and analysis of data on births, deaths, marriages, divorces,
and other health-related events."
- National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS)
"Vital statistics are numerical data relating to births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and other
demographic events."
- Last J.M.
"Vital statistics are statistical summaries of data on births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and
other demographic events that are used to describe the health status of populations."
- Aday, L.A
USES OF VITAL HEALTH STATISTICS:
FOR INDIVIDUAL:
Records of births, deaths, marriage and divorce, etc., are very important for the concerned
individual. It has legal importance to the concerned person.
Some examples are as follows:
1. Birth record
It establishes the legal proof of identity of an individual and has the name of both parents. It
is also used as proof of age, nationality, etc., which can be used further for admission in
schools, entry into profession, obtaining driving license, voting rights, etc.
2. Death record
It establishes the date, time, cause and circumstances of person died. These Ded for
obtaining legal permission for burial or other way of disposal of deceased person. Settlement
of inherited property or insurance claims also require the proof of death record.
3. Marriage record
It is a legal proof of occurrence of marriage, establish rights to pension, inheritance,
emigration purpose, changing nationality on basis of marriage, etc.
4. Divorce record
The divorce is required for the right to remarry. The registration of divorce is required to
prove that the marriage was done on legal grounds.
IN OPERATING AGENCIES:
Vital records of births, deaths, etc., are useful for the government agencies for a variety of
administrative purposes. Registration of birth and death record information is required which
may further be useful for planning of health programs and policies. For example, mother and
child health programs have roots in birth records and indices.
1. Death record
Public safety programs, accident prevention and crime prevention programs make use of
death records. Infectious disease control programs in a family or community is based on
death registration records. For example, in case of death of a person from a disease which
already has been eradicated, a chain of actions can be started to expose all possible contacts,
which the deceased had during the time of disease.
2. Maintenance of population registers
Authenticated records of registration of births, deaths, marriages, divorce, etc., are required
for maintenance of individual and family records to show change in marital status, address,
name, etc.
IN ADMINISTRATION:
Death records are necessary to clear a number of administrative files, such as disease-case
registers, population registers, social security files, military service files, electoral rolls,
identity files and tax registers. It is important in all types of planning and evaluation of
economic and social development as it is based on vital statistical data.
IN RESEARCH:
Vital statistics has important role in demographic analysis. The relationship between
population, economic and social factors can be understood by use of vital statistics.
Demographic research analysis is helpful in population estimation, projection and analytical
studies.
Medical research involving community public health programs, drugs, pharmaceutics require
vital statistical figures of births, deaths, premature births, etc., which serve as guide to them.
PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS:
At national and international level, vital statistics are required for proper planning,
implementation, operation and evaluation of Public Health Programs. For example, Infant
mortality rate reflects the effectiveness of Health and Sanitation Programs. It also indicates
the effectiveness of Public Health Nursing Programs and the adequacy of prenatal care. Infant
mortality and maternal mortality are related to births. Proper planning and implementation of
programs for maternal and infant are hidden in figures of births and deaths.
METHODS OF OBTAINING VITAL HEALTH STATISTICS
Obtaining vital statistics in involves the combination of administrative processes and data
collection methods.
The main methods of obtaining vital in India are discussed as follows:
1. CENSUS
A census year in India. Initiates of collecting information about the population, and it is
Conducted every ten years in India. Initiated in 1872, the census in India is conducted under
the Census Act. 1948. The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, is responsible
for its executors. Census data is collected through a house-to-house visit using a schedule and
provides demographic. social, and economic information about the population, including
birth rate, death rate, literacy, and sex ratio.
2. CIVIL REGISTRATION SYSTEM
The Civil Registration System is a continuous and permanent process for recording vital
events such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces as per legal requirements in the country.
It helps in measuring population changes between censuses. The Registration of Births and
Deaths (RBD) Act was amended in 1969 to improve the vital statistics system in India. The
system is coordinated and unified by the Registrar General, India.
3. MEDICAL CERTIFICATION OF CAUSE OF DEATHS (MCCD)
MCCD is an important aspect of vital statistics that was launched to provide a consistent
database for generating cause-specific mortality statistics. Medical practitioners issue
certificates under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act. Hospital authorities report deaths
and causes of death to registrars. MCCD data is crucial for public health programs and the
monitoring of health trends.
4. SAMPLE SURVEYS
Sample surveys are used to fill gaps between decennial censuses and to provide data on vital
rates during intercensal periods.
Several types of surveys are conducted in India, including:
* National sample survey (NSS): A large-scale, multi-subject survey conducted in rounds of
one year duration. It collects data on various social, economic, and agricultural
characteristics.
* Sample registration system (SRS): The Sample Registration System (SRS) in India began
as a pilot project in 1964-65 and was fully implemented in 1969-70 following the enactment
of the Central Registration of Births and Deaths Act in 1969. The SRS collects and maintains
vital statistics, including data on birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate, fertility, and
mortality, such as total fertility rate and infant and child mortality rates.
* Health surveys: National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) and District Level Household
Surveys (DLHS) are conducted for evaluating reproductive and Child Health Programs. They
collect data on fertility, child mortality, maternal health, and various other health parameters.
MEASURES OF VITAL STATISTICS
Vital statistics are numerical data related to births, deaths, marriages, and other significant life
events within a population.
Common measures of vital statistics include rate, ratio and trends:
1. RATE: A rate is a measure that expresses the occurrence of an event (e.g., births, deaths,
diseases) within a specific population over a defined period. Common vital rate measures
include birth rate, Death rate (mortality rate), infant mortality rate, etc.
2. RATIO: A ratio is a comparison between two quantities or measures, often expressed as a
fraction or a proportion. Examples of ratio include sex ratio and dependency ratio.
3. TRENDS: Trends in vital statistics refer to the long-term patterns or changes in vital
events (births, deaths marriages) over time. Analysing trends can help identify population
shifts, changes in health outcomes, or shifts in social and cultural patterns. Some common
trends include fertility trends, mortality trends and migration trends.
RATES:
Rates are measures used to express the occurrence of an event or phenomenon relative to
specific population or unit of observation. It is a proportion in which denominator is the
population and numerator is occurrence of particular event in the same population. Usually, it
is multiplied by 100 or 1000 but in rare case by 10000.
Rates are of two types:
1. Crude rates: It gives the speed at which an event occurs per unit time in a particular
population. It does not take into account the specific groups.
Total number of events that occur among population ∈¿ a given geographical area during a given year
Mid− year population of same area , duringthe same year Crude rate
x 1000
2. Specific rates: It gives the rate of an event that occurs in a specific group of population
like age, sex, etc.
Total number of events that occur among
specific group of population
¿ a given geographical area , during a given year x 1000
Mid− year population of specific group∈the
same area , duringthe same year
MEASURES OF FERTILITY:
1. Crude Birth Rate (CBR): It is also called birth rate and is commonly used method of
measuring fertility It measures the speed at which additions are being made in the population.
Total number of live birth∈a year
x 1000
Midyear population of that year
2. General Fertility Rate: The general fertility rate (GFR) is the number of live births in a
year per 1,000 women of childbearing age, usually 15 to 49 years old.
Total number of live births ∈one year
x 1000
Mid− year population of women aged 15−4 9 years
3. Total Fertility Rate: The number of children who would be born per woman (or per 1,000
women) if she/they were to pass through the childbearing years according to a current
schedule of age specific fertility rates.
It is the sum of age specific fertility rate of different age groups of ASFR and multiplied by
class interval. Thus, total fertility rate (TFR) = ΣΑSFR X t
MEASURES OF MORTALITY:
1. Crude Death Rate: It is also called death rate and is commonly used method of measuring
death. It measures the speed at which deductions are being made in the population.
Total number of death∈ a year
x 1000
Midyear Population
2. Age specific Death rate: It is defined as death rate on the basis of age distribution of
females"
Total number of death∈a specifi c age group
x 1000
Mid− year population of the same age group
3. Infant Mortality Rate: Infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of deaths of children
under one year of age per 1,000 live births. It is a probability of death, derived from a life
table, and expressed as a rate per 1,000 live births.
Total number of death s under 1 year of age∈a year
x 1000
Total number of live births ∈a year
4. Neonatal Mortality Rate: The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) is the number of deaths that
occur among live births within the first 28 days of life, per 1,000 live births.
Total number of deaths under 28 days of age ∈a year
x 1000
Total number of live births ∈a year
5. Cause Specific Mortality Rate: It is the number of deaths from a specific cause per
100,000 people in a population.
Total number of deaths due ¿ particular cause∈a year ¿
Midyear Population x 1000
6. Perinatal Mortality Rate: It a measure of the number of fetal death within 28 weeks and
infant deaths under 7 days of delivery.
Total number of fetal death of 28 weeks+ Infant death under 7 days
x 1000
Number of fetal deathof 28 weeks + Number of live births
7. Fetal Death Rate: Fetal death rate is the number of fetal deaths during a year.
Total number of fetal death s during a year
x 1000
Total Numb e r of deliveries during the year
MEASURES OF MORBIDITY:
Morbidity refers to having a disease or any symptom of disease, or to the amount of disease
within a population.
Morbidity also refers to medical problems caused by a treatment.
1. Incidence Rate: Incidence rate is a measure of the number of new cases of a condition
within a specific period of time, relative to the total population at risk.
Total number of new cases of a specific disease∈ a year
x 1000
Midyear Population
2. Prevalence Rate: It is the proportion of a population that has a specific characteristic or
disease at a given time.
Total number of new∧old cases of a specific disease due specific ¿ disease∈a given time¿ ¿
¿ Total population at th
x 1000
3. Case Fatality Rate: It is the severity of a particular disease by defining the total number of
deaths as a proportion of reported cases of a specific disease at a specific time.
Total number of deaths due specific ¿ disease ∈a certain period ¿ ¿
¿ Total number of cases of the specific
disease reported∈the period
x 1000
