mortality statistics
Internationally, statistical agencies compile data from administrative records, such as death certificates. Statistics South Africa is the national statistical office and is responsible for processing the cause of death statistics. In recent years, much effort has gone into improving South Africa's death registration. As part of this the death notification form was redesigned in 1998.
Cause of death reports can be found at Vital Registration Reports.
The data compiled from these forms have their limits: they cannot give death rates or infant mortality rates and other demographic data that need to be used in conjunction with this to determine such rates. The data also cannot provide the number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS, as it only provides information on the number of cases where HIV/AIDS is directly recorded on the form as the cause of death. Doctors may for reasons of confidentiality decline to list HIV or AIDS on the death certificate, and in certain situations may not be aware of the HIV status of the deceased.
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