[Mortality statistics in Germany. Problems and perspectives].

The causes of death statistics is widely used as a major source of data for monitoring particular health indicators and their change over time. Results of these comparisons are used for epidemiologic and medical research and as a starting point to give recommendations for prevention programs and for health policy. Nevertheless, the quality of the causes of death statistics is often criticized. Beside the quality of the medical information the critic aims in particular at the restricted comparability of the data and the limitation of the statistics on mono-causal causes of death. The latter aspects refer to steps which are performed within the scope of the data processing in the statistical offices. With the introduction of an automated coding system, which is able to code all causes of deaths on the death certificate and select the underlying cause of death automatically, it will be possible to solve these problems. Furthermore the automated coding system is the prerequisite for a routine multiple-cause coding which is demanded by several medical and statistical experts.