Characteristics of death certifiers and institutions where death is pronounced--Fulton County, Georgia, 1991.

Information from death certificates (DCs) is used to measure health status and to set public health priorities at all levels in the United States. However, because of limitations in the training of physicians who certify deaths, the completeness and accuracy of cause-of-death information varies (1-3). To develop a basis for targeting education of physicians who certify deaths, CDC, in cooperation with the Fulton County (Georgia) Vital Records Office, reviewed a consecutive series of 500 DCs filed in Fulton County (1990 population: 648,951) from April 10 through May 2, 1991, to characterize the number and proportion of personal physicians (PPs) (defined as physician certifiers not acting in the capacity of medical examiners or coroners [MECs]) and MECs certifying death, as well as other factors. This report summarizes the results of that review.