Accuracy of vital status ascertainment using the Social Security Death Master File in a deceased population.

Both insurance and clinical studies depend on the Social Security Death Master File (SSDMF) to provide vital status on subjects that are unavailable for direct ascertainment. Using the Gen Re individual life claims data, we analyzed the accuracy of vital status determination in a population known to be deceased. Overall, only 75% of claims appeared in the SSDMF. The detection rate is highly skewed by age of the decedent. This systematically reduced ascertainment of mortality at younger ages could cause misleading conclusions in studies that measure absolute mortality rates, especially when they include a wide age span.