Sex
Race
Age
Cause of death

Small numbers:
Small cell values (n<5) along with complementary cells, if necessary, are not published here, in accordance with the data release policy of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. These cells are indicated with an asterisk (*). To receive this unpublished data, a request should be made to the Department's Institutional Review Board (IRB):

Office of Boards and Councils
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360
Phone: 609-292-9382
Fax: 609-292-5333

Geographic data quality:
Mortality data are presented for the 137 municipalities with population over 10,000 in which the quality of death certificate data on residence is sufficient. These municipalities are located primarily in the northeastern region of the state. Death data for municipalities believed to have a relatively high level of uncertainty in allocation of municipality are included in the respective "balance of county" group along with those municipalities with population under 10,000.

Changes in causes of death for 1999:
The classification of causes of death changed in 1999. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is a product of the World Health Organization and is used worldwide. The United States adopted the Tenth Revision of the ICD (ICD-10) in 1999. The revision not only effects the codes and names assigned to causes of death, it also effects the rules for selecting the underlying cause of death and the grouping of causes for tabulation and selection of leading causes of death. Because of this, 1999 cause of death data are not directly comparable to data from previous years. To make 1994-1998 deaths coded under the ninth revision (ICD-9) comparable to current data, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has computed comparability ratios for major causes of death. When applied to 1994-1998 deaths coded in accordance with ICD-9, the comparability ratios allow for trend analysis. (NCHS recommends against using these ratios with data prior to 1994.)

Data source change in 1999:
The Center for Health Statistics (CHS) used the multiple cause of death (MCD) file compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to produce these tables as well as the state- and county-level mortality tables in New Jersey Health Statistics, 1999. In past data years, the single cause of death (SCD) file compiled internally was used. There are several differences between the two files that may affect comparisons between 1999 data and data from prior years:

• The underlying causes of death in the MCD file are coded automatically through use of a specialized computer software package, while the SCD files are coded manually by nosologists (persons trained to classify diseases in accordance with an organized list of diseases and injuries). This may lead to differences in the selection of the underlying cause of death.
  
  
• The MCD file yields full information on resident deaths occurring out of state, while the SCD file contains full information from some states but limited information from other states and New York City. This may lead to different numbers by age, race, sex, cause, and/or place of residence from the two files.
  
  
• Missing race, sex, and residence data are imputed on the MCD file (missing data are assigned a value based on an algorithm), while the SCD file leaves them blank. The use of the MCD file will lead to minor increases in both the number of deaths and death rates by race and, to a lesser extent, by county and sex, since race is not stated more frequently than county and sex.
  
  
• NCHS's cut-off date for the receipt of 1999 records was June 30, 2000. Any records sent to the state registrar after that date will not be in the MCD file. Additionally, any duplicate records identified by DHSS after June 30 have not been removed from the MCD file. However, these numbers are negligible.
  
  
• The MCD file does not separately code residence information for municipalities with populations less than 10,000. Those municipalities are coded to "balance of county."