Death certificates are used widely for many critical uses. For example, families use them to close out estates as well as to reach emotional closure about the loss of their relative. Information from death certificates is also the fundamental source for official mortality statistics which are used to support statements such as \u201cThe impact of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and the resulting death, injury, destruction, and population displacement were unprecedented in U.S. history.\u201d (CDC. MGuide: Hurricanes, accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mguide_nd.html) and to more generally define the mortality scope and impact of particular events. Having more information about past events helps plan for future catastrophic storms.The medical examiner, coroner, or physician\u2019s primary responsibility in certifying or completing the death certificate is to provide a medical opinion on cause of death, that is, an etiological description of the order, type, and association of events resulting in death. In reporting the cause of death, any disease, abnormality, injury, or poisoning believed to have adversely affected the decedent should be reported as specifically and precisely as possible. He or she may also complete other legal and demographic items on the death certificate although normally a funeral director would complete this other information.200

Brigati, G.

Cocchioni, M.

Grappasonni, I.

Morichetti, L.

Ortolani, E.

Petrelli, Fabio

English

Death certificates are used widely for many critical uses. For example, families use them to close out estates as well as to reach emotional closure about the loss of their relative. Information from death certificates is also the fundamental source for official mortality statistics which are used to support statements such as \u201cThe impact of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and the resulting death, injury, destruction, and population displacement were unprecedented in U.S. history.\u201d (CDC. MGuide: Hurricanes, accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mguide_nd.html) and to more generally define the mortality scope and impact of particular events. Having more information about past events helps plan for future catastrophic storms.The medical examiner, coroner, or physician\u2019s primary responsibility in certifying or completing the death certificate is to provide a medical opinion on cause of death, that is, an etiological description of the order, type, and association of events resulting in death. In reporting the cause of death, any disease, abnormality, injury, or poisoning believed to have adversely affected the decedent should be reported as specifically and precisely as possible. He or she may also complete other legal and demographic items on the death certificate although normally a funeral director would complete this other information.20071038

CDC Stacks

Completion of Death Certificates in the Aftermath of a Hurricane  Death certificates are used widely for many critical uses.  For example, families use them to close out estates as well as to reach emotional closure about the loss of their relative.  Information from death certificates is also the fundamental source for official mortality statistics which are used to support statements such as “The impact of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and the resulting death, injury, destruction, and population displacement were unprecedented in U.S. history.” (CDC. MGuide: Hurricanes, accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mguide_nd.html) and to more generally define the mortality scope and impact of particular events.  Having more information about past events helps plan for future catastrophic storms.  The medical examiner, coroner, or physician’s primary responsibility in certifying or completing the death certificate is to provide a medical opinion on cause of death, that is, an etiological description of the order, type, and association of events resulting in death.  In reporting the cause of death, any disease, abnormality, injury, or poisoning believed to have adversely affected the decedent should be reported as specifically and precisely as possible.  He or she may also complete other legal and demographic items on the death certificate although normally a funeral director would complete this other information.  In Part I, a sequence of events or conditions should be reported with the most recent listed on line a (e.g., asphyxia or drowning) and the initiating event on the lowest used line (e.g., residence flooded).  Report a single event on each line even when the events are essentially simultaneous.  Report all other important events or conditions that were present at the time of death and that may have contributed to the death, but were not part of the causal sequence (reported in Part I) in Part II.  The certifier can elaborate upon the basic description reported in Part I in the additional items about injury on the death certificate (e.g., residence flooded in the hurricane storm surge).  Examples: Report the hurricane if it was a factor in death occurring.  In the last example, the certifier has not reported anything about the hurricane, so if he or she thought the hurricane played any role, that information is lost.  The other examples indicate how the certifier felt the hurricane influenced the death.                                                                     CAUSE OF DEATH (See instructions and examples)    32.  PART I.  Enter the chain of events--diseases, injuries, or complications--that directly caused the death.  DO NOT enter terminal events such as cardiac            arrest, respiratory arrest, or ventricular fibrillation without showing the etiology.  DO NOT ABBREVIATE.  Enter only one cause on a line.  Add additional           lines if necessary.     IMMEDIATE CAUSE (Final    disease or condition --------->      a.  Crushed chest  _____________________________________________________________________    resulting  in death)                             Due to (or as a consequence of):      Sequentially list conditions,         b.  Shed collapsed during hurricane_______________________________________________________   if any,  leading to the cause               Due to (or as a consequence of):    listed on line a.  Enter the     UNDERLYING CAUSE               c.  _____________________  _________________________________________________________________   (disease or injury that                       Due to (or as a consequence of):    initiated the  events resulting    in death) LAST                            d.  ____________________________________________________________________________________ Approximate interval: Onset to death                    .                .                .                 .33.  WAS AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED?                          Yes     ■ No PART II.  Enter other significant conditions contributing to death but not resulting in the underlying cause given in PART I.      Head trauma 34.  WERE AUTOPSY FINDINGS AVAILABLE TO   COMPLETE THE CAUSE OF DEATH?     Yes  ■ No 35.    DID TOBACCO USE CONTRIBUTE         TO DEATH?              Yes     Probably         ■   No         Unknown  36.  IF FEMALE:        Not pregnant within past year        Pregnant at time of death        Not pregnant, but pregnant within 42 days of death        Not pregnant, but pregnant 43 days to 1 year before death        Unknown if pregnant within the past year 37.  MANNER OF DEATH        Natural         Homicide      ■ Accident      Pending Investigation       Suicide         Could not be determined                                                                     CAUSE OF DEATH (See instructions and examples)    32.  PART I.  Enter the chain of events--diseases, injuries, or complications--that directly caused the death.  DO NOT enter terminal events such as cardiac            arrest, respiratory arrest, or ventricular fibrillation without showing the etiology.  DO NOT ABBREVIATE.  Enter only one cause on a line.  Add additional            lines if necessary.     IMMEDIATE CAUSE (Final    disease or condition --------->      a.  Fracture vertebra _________              _______________________________________   resulting  in death)                            Due to (or as a consequence of):      Sequentially list conditions,         b.  Contusion of spinal cord    _________________________________________________________________   if any,  leading to the cause              Due to (or as a consequence of):    listed on line a.  Enter the     UNDERLYING CAUSE               c.  Light pole accident________________________________________________________________________   (disease or injury that                       Due to (or as a consequence of):    initiated the  events resulting    in death) LAST                            d.                                     _____________________________________________________________________ Approximate interval: Onset to death                    .                 .     __________   ___              _    33.  WAS AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED?                          Yes     ■ No PART II.  Enter other significant conditions contributing to death but not resulting in the underlying cause given in PART I.       Working to restore power from hurricane 34.  WERE AUTOPSY FINDINGS AVAILABLE TO   COMPLETE THE CAUSE OF DEATH?    Yes ■ No 35.    DID TOBACCO USE CONTRIBUTE   TO DEATH?                    Yes   Probably        ■   No   Unknown  36.  IF FEMALE:         Not pregnant within past year         Pregnant at time of death         Not pregnant, but pregnant within 42 days of death         Not pregnant, but pregnant 43 days to 1 year before death         Unknown if pregnant within the past year 37.  MANNER OF DEATH          Natural       Homicide      ■  Accident     Pending Investigation        Suicide        Could not be determined 38.  DATE OF INJURY      (Mo/Day/Yr) (Spell Month)        September 8, 2005  39.  TIME OF INJURY                Approx. 1300 40. PLACE OF INJURY (e.g., Decedent’s home; construction site; restaurant; wooded area)        In easement of a yard in residential community 41.  INJURY AT WORK?                        ■ Yes    No 42.  LOCATION OF INJURY:    State: Alabama                                                          City or Town: Columbus      Street & Number: 3129 Discus Avenue                                                                     Apartment No.:                                                         Zip Code:  35487-0002 43.  DESCRIBE HOW INJURY OCCURRED:          Light pole fell on him while repairing downed lines 44.  IF TRANSPORTATION INJURY, SPECIFY:        Driver/Operator        Passenger        Pedestrian        Other (Specify)                                                                       CAUSE OF DEATH (See instructions and examples)    32.  PART I.  Enter the chain of events--diseases, injuries, or complications--that directly caused the death.  DO NOT enter terminal events such as cardiac            arrest, respiratory arrest, or ventricular fibrillation without showing the etiology.  DO NOT ABBREVIATE.  Enter only one cause on a line.  Add additional           lines if necessary.     IMMEDIATE CAUSE (Final    disease or condition --------->      a.   Acute respiratory failure _____________________________________________________________________   resulting  in death)                             Due to (or as a consequence of):      Sequentially list conditions,         b.  Severe emphysema _______________________________________________________________________    if any,  leading to the cause               Due to (or as a consequence of):    listed on line a.  Enter the     UNDERLYING CAUSE               c.  Heat and loss of air conditioner power from hurricane______________________________________    (disease or injury that                       Due to (or as a consequence of):    initiated the  events resulting    in death) LAST                            d.  ______________________________   ____________________________________________________  Approximate interval: Onset to death        4 hours        .          .                   .                    . 33.  WAS AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED?                          Yes      ■ No PART II.  Enter other significant conditions contributing to death but not resulting in the underlying cause given in PART I.    34.  WERE AUTOPSY FINDINGS AVAILABLE TO   COMPLETE THE CAUSE OF DEATH?     Yes ■  No 35.    DID TOBACCO USE CONTRIBUTE         TO DEATH?              Yes   Probably            No     ■  Unknown  36.  IF FEMALE:        Not pregnant within past year        Pregnant at time of death        Not pregnant, but pregnant within 42 days of death        Not pregnant, but pregnant 43 days to 1 year before death        Unknown if pregnant within the past year 37.  MANNER OF DEATH       ■  Natural      Homicide       Accident     Pending Investigation       Suicide       Could not be determined   Note: There is no mention of a hurricane on the following certificate, so any connection with the hurricane is now lost.                                                                     CAUSE OF DEATH (See instructions and examples)    32.  PART I.  Enter the chain of events--diseases, injuries, or complications--that directly caused the death.  DO NOT enter terminal events such as cardiac            arrest, respiratory arrest, or ventricular fibrillation without showing the etiology.  DO NOT ABBREVIATE.  Enter only one cause on a line.  Add additional            lines if necessary.     IMMEDIATE CAUSE (Final    disease or condition --------->      a.  Massive head trauma_ ______        _________________________________________    resulting  in death)                            Due to (or as a consequence of):      Sequentially list conditions,         b.  Car collides with falling tree_______________________________________________________________    if any,  leading to the cause              Due to (or as a consequence of):    listed on line a.  Enter the     UNDERLYING CAUSE               c.                                _________________________________________________________________________    (disease or injury that                       Due to (or as a consequence of):    initiated the  events resulting    in death) LAST                            d.                                      _____________________________________________________________________ Approximate interval: Onset to death                  .                 .   __           __              __         __ 33.  WAS AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED?                          Yes      ■ No PART II.  Enter other significant conditions contributing to death but not resulting in the underlying cause given in PART I.                              34.  WERE AUTOPSY FINDINGS AVAILABLE TO   COMPLETE THE CAUSE OF DEATH?    Yes  ■ No 35.    DID TOBACCO USE CONTRIBUTE   TO DEATH?                   Yes   Probably         ■    No   Unknown  36.  IF FEMALE:       ■ Not pregnant within past year        Pregnant at time of death        Not pregnant, but pregnant within 42 days of death        Not pregnant, but pregnant 43 days to 1 year before death        Unknown if pregnant within the past year 37.  MANNER OF DEATH         Natural        Homicide     ■  Accident      Pending Investigation        Suicide        Could not be determined 38.  DATE OF INJURY      (Mo/Day/Yr) (Spell Month)        August 29, 2005  39.  TIME OF INJURY           1130    40. PLACE OF INJURY (e.g., Decedent’s home; construction site; restaurant; wooded area)         In decedent’s car on road              41.  INJURY AT WORK?                         Yes  ■  No 42.  LOCATION OF INJURY:    State: Mississippi                                                                    City or Town: near Pas Christian      Street & Number: 800 block of  Sylvan Road                                                                                   Apartment No.:                                                         Zip Code: 39571-1234 43.  DESCRIBE HOW INJURY OCCURRED:           Car collided with falling tree 44.  IF TRANSPORTATION INJURY, SPECIFY:     ■  Driver/Operator        Passenger        Pedestrian        Other (Specify)   Resources: For more information on how to complete the medical certification section of the death certificate, request instructions and handbooks from the State vital statistics offices or CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (Room 7318, Toledo Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 or http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/handbk.htm).  

Completion of death certificates in the aftermath of a hurricane

Unicam Scientific Publications

FARMACIA SATELLITE DEI BLOCCHI OPERATORI

https://pubblicazioni.unicam.it/bitstream/11581/405416/5/Atti%20Napoli-Poster%20pag%20972.pdf

Completion of death certificates in the aftermath of a hurricane

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