The data collection procedures for the Population demographics and mortality data component of the WHO MONICA Project are described in the MONICA Manual, Part II, Section 1.
The data were transferred from the MONICA Collaborating Centres (MCCs) to the MONICA Data Centre (MDC) on paper forms: Population demographics reporting form (Form A, Version 1). In the Basic analysis data set of the MONICA Archive, the data are given in a format, which is specified in the Data archive format - population demographics data (Form 11, Version 2). The Data archive format includes the data items of the Population demographics reporting form, except the name of the person providing the information and comments or reservations about the data provided. However, any comments and reservations about the data are summarised in the report "Quality assessment of demographic data in the WHO MONICA Project".
The quality of the population demographics data, as well as MCC specific characteristics the data or the data collection procedures are described in the Quality assessment of demographic data. It is important that anyone who intends to use the data is familiar with the quality assessment report.
The population demographics data, in the format specified in the Data archive format - population demographics data (Form 11, Version 2), can be found in the file:
The MONICA Reporting Units and calendar years of the data included in the data files are those specified in Table 1 of the report "Quality assessment of demographic data in the WHO MONICA Project". Tabulations of the distributions of the data included in the file are given in document Distributions of the data on form 11 - population demographics data.
The data were transferred from the MCCs to the MDC on paper forms:
Versions 1 of the forms were otherwise similar to versions 2, but the causes of death reported were mostly limited to the cardiovascular diseases. Versions one were used until 1986, although many MCCs completed later their data for the earlier years using version 2 of the data form. In the Basic analysis data set of the MONICA Archive, the data are given in a standardised format, which is specified in the Data archive format - annual population mortality data (Form 12, Version 3). The Data archive format includes the data items of all versions of the Annual population mortality reporting forms, except the name of the person providing the information and comments or reservations about the data provided.
These data represent the annual official statistics or other routinely available data and therefore were not standardized by the MONICA Project. There may be large coding differences among countries for some causes of death. No systematic quality assessment has been done on these data. A brief assessment of the quality of the annual population mortality data for coronary heart disease and stroke, and their comparison with the MONICA event registration data are included in:
Routine checking procedures were applied to minimise coding errors in completing the data collection forms and keying the data in to the computer: Once the data were received in the MDC and keyed in the MONICA database, consistency of the data with the row and column totals of the forms was checked. Furthermore, consistency between aggregated categories and their subcategories was checked. Whenever inconsistencies or something unexpected was found, the problems were communicated to the MCC and a correction or explanation was sought.
The annual population mortality data, in the format specified in the Data archive format - annual population mortality data (Form 12, Version 3), can be found in the file:
The MONICA Reporting Units, calendar years and the availability of disease categories of the data included in these data files are specified in Table 2. One MCC (12) had problems with the official mortality statistics for its populations that were severe enough for the Principal Investigator to request that it should not be included here. Tabulations of the distributions of the data included in the file are given in document Distributions of the data on form 12 - annual population mortality data.