Mortality Data -- Vital Statistics NCHS' Multiple Cause of Death Data, 1959-2017

Multiple Cause-of-Death Mortality Data from the National Vital Statistics System of the National Center for Health Statistics provide mortality data by multiple cause of death for all deaths occuring within the United States. Each record in the microdata is based on information abstracted from death certificates filed in vital statistics offices of each State and District of Columbia. Causes of death were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision 1991-1998 and the Tenth Revision 1999 on. Variables describing infant cause of death and infant age are included.

The ".zip" files can be uncompressed with uncompression software. The compressed death files are 80-85 Mb, and the compression ratio is over 90%. To check ability to uncompress these files, download the small files compress.zip. These files give an example of how to read in .zip ASCII files into SAS for UNIX without decompressing the files. To download files in Internet Explorer, right click on them and select "Save Target As...". If the pdf documents appear to be all blank pages, get the latest Acrobat Reader at www.abobe.com.

SEER provides helpful U.S. Population data for 1969 on.

1982 is the first file with both FIPS and NCHS county codes. An NCHS to FIPS state, county, and MSA crosswalk is available.

Use of this data signifies agreement with NCHS' data use rules. Works referring to the datasets or codebooks should contain a citation to NCHS. Published material derived from this data should include a citation such as this at the bottom of the table: "Source: National Center for Health Statistics (span of years used)"

NBER internal users can obtain the data from a UNIX shell at /homes/data/mortality or on an NBER PC via Network Neighborhood --> NBER --> home --> data --> mortality

Updates and changes.

Note regarding the 1959-1967 data:   The chief of the NCHS mortality branch has said that while the 1959-1967 files are generally ok, they have not been rigorously verified. "Counts by selected causes and demographic groups seem to match up with VSUS, but because in some cases these files had to be reconstructed and pieced together from different sources-some were damaged or lost-we cannot at this time be certain as to their accuracy."


United States (Territories and Documentation below)
Death Data
Codes for Reading Source ASCII Data
Year
ASCII (.zip)
SAS (.zip)
Stata (.zip)
CSV (.zip)
SAS SPSS
Stata (.do)
Stata (.dct)
Documentation
1959 m1959.zip m1959.sas7bdat.zip m1959.dta.zip m1959.csv.zip m1959.sas m1959.sps m1959.do m1959.dct Main Mortality documentation
Geographic Code - Final Births, Deaths, and Fetal Deaths Occurring in 1960-1961
Geographic Reference Manual Effective with 1962 data
Vital Statistics Instruction Manual
1960 m1960.zip m1960.sas7bdat.zip m1960.dta.zip m1960.csv.zip m1960.sas m1960.sps m1960.do m1960.dct
1961 m1961.zip m1961.sas7bdat.zip m1961.dta.zip m1961.csv.zip m1961.sas m1961.sps m1961.do m1961.dct
1962 m1962.zip m1962.sas7bdat.zip m1962.dta.zip m1962.csv.zip m1962.sas m1962.sps m1962.do m1962.dct
1963 m1963.zip m1963.sas7bdat.zip m1963.dta.zip m1963.csv.zip m1963.sas m1963.sps m1963.do m1963.dct
1964 m1964.zip m1964.sas7bdat.zip m1964.dta.zip m1964.csv.zip m1964.sas m1964.sps m1964.do m1964.dct
1965 m1965.zip m1965.sas7bdat.zip m1965.dta.zip m1965.csv.zip m1965.sas m1965.sps m1965.do m1965.dct
1966 m1966.zip m1966.sas7bdat.zip m1966.dta.zip m1966.csv.zip m1966.sas m1966.sps m1966.do m1966.dct
1967 m1967.zip m1967.sas7bdat.zip m1967.dta.zip m1967.csv.zip m1967.sas m1967.sps m1967.do m1967.dct
1968 m1968.zip m1968.sas7bdat.zip m1968.dta.zip m1968.csv.zip m1968.sas m1968.sps m1968.do m1968.dct 68-78.pdf
Geographic Code Manual: Codes Used in Computer Processing Effective with 1970 Data
1969 m1969.zip m1969.sas7bdat.zip m1969.dta.zip m1969.csv.zip m1969.sas m1969.sps m1969.do m1969.dct
1970 m1970.zip m1970.sas7bdat.zip m1970.dta.zip m1970.csv.zip m1970.sas m1970.sps m1970.do m1970.dct
1971 m1971.zip m1971.sas7bdat.zip m1971.dta.zip m1971.csv.zip m1971.sas m1971.sps m1971.do m1971.dct
1972 m1972.zip m1972.sas7bdat.zip m1972.dta.zip m1972.csv.zip m1972.sas m1972.sps m1972.do m1972.dct
1973 m1973.zip m1973.sas7bdat.zip m1973.dta.zip m1973.csv.zip m1973.sas m1973.sps m1973.do m1973.dct
1974 m1974.zip m1974.sas7bdat.zip m1974.dta.zip m1974.csv.zip m1974.sas m1974.sps m1974.do m1974.dct
1975 m1975.zip m1975.sas7bdat.zip m1975.dta.zip m1975.csv.zip m1975.sas m1975.sps m1975.do m1975.dct
1976 m1976.zip m1976.sas7bdat.zip m1976.dta.zip m1976.csv.zip m1976.sas m1976.sps m1976.do m1976.dct
1977 m1977.zip m1977.sas7bdat.zip m1977.dta.zip m1977.csv.zip m1977.sas m1977.sps m1977.do m1977.dct
1978 m1978.zip m1978.sas7bdat.zip m1978.dta.zip m1978.csv.zip m1978.sas m1978.sps m1978.do m1978.dct
1979 m1979.zip m1979.sas7bdat.zip m1979.dta.zip m1979.csv.zip m1979.sas m1979.sps m1979.do m1979.dct m1979.pdf
1980 m1980.zip m1980.sas7bdat.zip m1980.dta.zip m1980.csv.zip m1980.sas m1980.sps m1980.do m1980.dct m1980.pdf
1981 m1981.zip m1981.sas7bdat.zip m1981.dta.zip m1981.csv.zip m1981.sas m1981.sps m1981.do m1981.dct m1981.pdf
1982 m1982.zip m1982.sas7bdat.zip m1982.dta.zip m1982.csv.zip m1982.sas m1982.sps m1982.do m1982.dct m1982.pdf
1983 m1983.zip m1983.sas7bdat.zip m1983.dta.zip m1983.csv.zip m1983.sas m1983.sps m1983.do m1983.dct m1983.pdf
1984 m1984.zip m1984.sas7bdat.zip m1984.dta.zip m1984.csv.zip m1984.sas m1984.sps m1984.do m1984.dct m1984.pdf
1985 m1985.zip m1985.sas7bdat.zip m1985.dta.zip m1985.csv.zip m1985.sas m1985.sps m1985.do m1985.dct m1985.pdf
1986 m1986.zip m1986.sas7bdat.zip m1986.dta.zip m1986.csv.zip m1986.sas m1986.sps m1986.do m1986.dct m1986.pdf
1987 m1987.zip m1987.sas7bdat.zip m1987.dta.zip m1987.csv.zip m1987.sas m1987.sps m1987.do m1987.dct m1987.pdf
1988 m1988.zip m1988.sas7bdat.zip m1988.dta.zip m1988.csv.zip m1988.sas m1988.sps m1988.do m1988.dct m1988.pdf
1989 m1989.zip m1989.sas7bdat.zip m1989.dta.zip m1989.csv.zip m1989.sas m1989.sps m1989.do m1989.dct m1989.pdf
1990 m1990.zip m1990.sas7bdat.zip m1990.dta.zip m1990.csv.zip m1990.sas m1990.sps m1990.do m1990.dct m1990.pdf
1991 m1991.zip m1991.sas7bdat.zip m1991.dta.zip m1991.csv.zip m1991.sas m1991.sps m1991.do m1991.dct m1991.pdf
1992 m1992.zip m1992.sas7bdat.zip m1992.dta.zip m1992.csv.zip m1992.sas m1992.sps m1992.do m1992.dct m1992.pdf
1993 m1993.zip m1993.sas7bdat.zip m1993.dta.zip m1993.csv.zip m1993.sas m1993.sps m1993.do m1993.dct m1993.pdf
1994 m1994.zip m1994.sas7bdat.zip m1994.dta.zip m1994.csv.zip m1994.sas m1994.sps m1994.do m1994.dct m1994.pdf
1995 m1995.zip m1995.sas7bdat.zip m1995.dta.zip m1995.csv.zip m1995.sas m1995.sps m1995.do m1995.dct m1995.pdf
1996 m1996.zip m1996.sas7bdat.zip m1996.dta.zip m1996.csv.zip m1996.sas m1996.sps m1996.do m1996.dct m1996.pdf
1997 m1997.zip m1997.sas7bdat.zip m1997.dta.zip m1997.csv.zip m1997.sas m1997.sps m1997.do m1997.dct m1997.pdf
1998 m1998.zip m1998.sas7bdat.zip m1998.dta.zip m1998.csv.zip m1998.sas m1998.sps m1998.do m1998.dct m1998.pdf
1999 m1999.zip m1999.sas7bdat.zip m1999.dta.zip m1999.csv.zip m1999.sas m1999.sps m1999.do m1999.dct m1999.pdf
2000 m2000.zip m2000.sas7bdat.zip m2000.dta.zip m2000.csv.zip m2000.sas m2000.sps m2000.do m2000.dct m2000.pdf
2001 m2001.zip m2001.sas7bdat.zip m2001.dta.zip m2001.csv.zip m2001.sas m2001.sps m2001.do m2001.dct m2001.pdf
2002 m2002.zip m2002.sas7bdat.zip m2002.dta.zip m2002.csv.zip m2002.sas m2002.sps m2002.do m2002.dct m2002.pdf
2003 m2003.zip m2003.sas7bdat.zip m2003.dta.zip m2003.csv.zip m2003.sas m2003.sps m2003.do m2003.dct m2003.pdf
2004 m2004.zip m2004.sas7bdat.zip m2004.dta.zip m2004.csv.zip m2004.sas m2004.sps m2004.do m2004.dct m2004.pdf
No geographic identifiers are included in the files for 2005-on due to a restriction imposed by the States.
Information on applying for state- and county-identified data from NCHS is available.
2005 m2005.zip m2005.sas7bdat.zip m2005.dta.zip m2005.csv.zip m2005.sas m2005.sps m2005.do m2005.dct m2005.pdf
2006 m2006.zip m2006.sas7bdat.zip m2006.dta.zip m2006.csv.zip m2006.sas m2006.sps m2006.do m2006.dct m2006.pdf
2007 m2007.zip m2007.sas7bdat.zip m2007.dta.zip m2007.csv.zip m2007.sas m2007.sps m2007.do m2007.dct m2007.pdf
2008 m2008.zip m2008.sas7bdat.zip m2008.dta.zip m2008.csv.zip m2008.sas m2008.sps m2008.do m2008.dct m2008.pdf
2009 m2009.zip m2009.sas7bdat.zip m2009.dta.zip m2009.csv.zip m2009.sas m2009.sps m2009.do m2009.dct m2009.pdf
2010 m2010.zip m2010.sas7bdat.zip m2010.dta.zip m2010.csv.zip m2010.sas m2010.sps m2010.do m2010.dct m2010.pdf
2011 m2011.zip m2011.sas7bdat.zip m2011.dta.zip m2011.csv.zip m2011.sas m2011.sps m2011.do m2011.dct m2011.pdf
2012 m2012.zip m2012.sas7bdat.zip m2012.dta.zip m2012.csv.zip m2012.sas m2012.sps m2012.do m2012.dct m2012.pdf
2013 m2013.zip m2013.sas7bdat.zip m2013.dta.zip m2013.csv.zip m2013.sas m2013.sps m2013.do m2013.dct m2013.pdf
2014 m2014.zip m2014.sas7bdat.zip m2014.dta.zip m2014.csv.zip m2014.sas m2014.sps m2014.do m2014.dct m2014.pdf
2015 m2015.zip m2015.sas7bdat.zip m2015.dta.zip m2015.csv.zip m2015.sas m2015.sps m2015.do m2015.dct m2015.pdf
2016 m2016.zip m2016.sas7bdat.zip m2016.dta.zip m2016.csv.zip m2016.sas m2016.sps m2016.do m2016.dct m2016.pdf
2017 m2017.zip m2017.sas7bdat.zip m2017.dta.zip m2017.csv.zip m2017.sas m2017.sps m2017.do m2017.dct m2017.pdf
2018 m2018.zip m2018.sas7bdat.zip m2018.dta.zip m2018.csv.zip NA NA NA m2018.dct m2018.pdf
No geographic identifiers are included in the files for 2005-on due to a restriction imposed by the States.
Information on applying for state- and county-identified data from NCHS is available.




U.S. Territories, 1994-2016
Death Data
Codes for Reading Source ASCII Data
Year
ASCII (.zip)
SAS (.zip)
Stata (.zip)
CSV (.zip)
SAS
SPSS
Stata (.do)
Stata (.dct)
1994 t1994.zip t1994.sas7bdat.zip t1994.dta.zip t1994.csv.zip t1994.sas t1994.sps t1994.do t1994.dct
1995 t1995.zip t1995.sas7bdat.zip t1995.dta.zip t1995.csv.zip t1995.sas t1995.sps t1995.do t1995.dct
1996 t1996.zip t1996.sas7bdat.zip t1996.dta.zip t1996.csv.zip t1996.sas t1996.sps t1996.do t1996.dct
1997 t1997.zip t1997.sas7bdat.zip t1997.dta.zip t1997.csv.zip t1997.sas t1997.sps t1997.do t1997.dct
1998 t1998.zip t1998.sas7bdat.zip t1998.dta.zip t1998.csv.zip t1998.sas t1998.sps t1998.do t1998.dct
1999 t1999.zip t1999.sas7bdat.zip t1999.dta.zip t1999.csv.zip t1999.sas t1999.sps t1999.do t1999.dct
2000 t2000.zip t2000.sas7bdat.zip t2000.dta.zip t2000.csv.zip t2000.sas t2000.sps t2000.do t2000.dct
2001 t2001.zip t2001.sas7bdat.zip t2001.dta.zip t2001.csv.zip t2001.sas t2001.sps t2001.do t2001.dct
2002 t2002.zip t2002.sas7bdat.zip t2002.dta.zip t2002.csv.zip t2002.sas t2002.sps t2002.do t2002.dct
2003 t2003.zip t2003.sas7bdat.zip t2003.dta.zip t2003.csv.zip t2003.sas t2003.sps t2003.do t2003.dct
2004 t2004.zip t2004.sas7bdat.zip t2004.dta.zip t2004.csv.zip t2004.sas t2004.sps t2004.do t2004.dct
2005 t2005.zip t2005.sas7bdat.zip t2005.dta.zip t2005.csv.zip t2005.sas t2005.sps t2005.do t2005.dct
2006 t2006.zip t2006.sas7bdat.zip t2006.dta.zip t2006.csv.zip t2006.sas t2006.sps t2006.do t2006.dct
2007 t2007.zip t2007.sas7bdat.zip t2007.dta.zip t2007.csv.zip t2007.sas t2007.sps t2007.do t2007.dct
2008 t2008.zip t2008.sas7bdat.zip t2008.dta.zip t2008.csv.zip t2008.sas t2008.sps t2008.do t2008.dct
2009 t2009.zip t2009.sas7bdat.zip t2009.dta.zip t2009.csv.zip t2009.sas t2009.sps t2009.do t2009.dct
2010 t2010.zip t2010.sas7bdat.zip t2010.dta.zip t2010.csv.zip t2010.sas t2010.sps t2010.do t2010.dct
2011 t2011.zip t2011.sas7bdat.zip t2011.dta.zip t2011.csv.zip t2011.sas t2011.sps t2011.do t2011.dct
2012 t2012.zip t2012.sas7bdat.zip t2012.dta.zip t2012.csv.zip t2012.sas t2012.sps t2012.do t2012.dct
2013 t2013.zip t2013.sas7bdat.zip t2013.dta.zip t2013.csv.zip t2013.sas t2013.sps t2013.do t2013.dct
2014 t2014.zip t2014.sas7bdat.zip t2014.dta.zip t2014.csv.zip t2014.sas t2014.sps t2014.do t2014.dct
2015 t2015.zip t2015.sas7bdat.zip t2015.dta.zip t2015.csv.zip t2015.sas t2015.sps t2015.do t2015.dct
2016 t2016.zip t2016.sas7bdat.zip t2016.dta.zip t2016.csv.zip t2016.sas t2016.sps t2016.do t2016.dct
2017 t2017.zip t2017.sas7bdat.zip t2017.dta.zip t2017.csv.zip t2017.sas t2017.sps t2017.do t2017.dct
2018 t2018.zip t2018.sas7bdat.zip t2018.dta.zip t2018.csv.zip NA NA NA t2018.dct


Older Versions of United States & Territories Documentation, 1991-2005
. 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
All Documenation Files Below, Pkzipped 91.zip 92.zip 93.zip 94.zip 95.zip 96.zip 97.zip 98.zip 99.zip 00.zip 01.zip 02.zip 03.zip 04.zip 05.zip
Introduction
intro95
96.pdf Intro Intro Intro Intro Intro Intro Intro Intro
Data File Characteristics dfc91 dfc92 dfc93 dfc94 dfc95 dfc97 dfc98
--
Data Format and Variable Definition
format95.txt
DFVD DFVD
Multiple Cause Data Introduction
--
intromc.txt
Multiple Cause Data Entity Axis Codes
entity95.txt
Multiple Cause Data Record Axis Codes
record91.txt
Additional Information
addition.txt
List of Data Elements and Locations del91 del92 del93 del94 del95 del99 del00 del01 del02 del03 del04
Multiple Cause-of-Death Record Layout mort91 mort92 mort93 mort94 mort95
Geographic Code -- Notes on Outline
geocoden.txt
--
--
Geographic Code -- Description
--
vital.txt
GDUS97
GDP97
GDUS98
GDP98
GDUS99
GDP99
GUS03
Geographic Code -- Outline for United States
geocode.txt
geocode.txt
GOUS97
GOUS02
GOUS03
Geographic Code -- Outline for Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Guam
--
geoterr.txt
GOP97 GOP98
GOP99
GOP03
PMSAs and MSAs as Adapted for Use by NCHS/DVS
metstata
metstata
GMUS97       GMUS03

GMP97      GMP01       GMP02
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1 put1
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2 put2
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3 put3
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4 put4
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 5 put5 put5 put5 put5 put5 put5 put5 put5 put5 put5 put5
--
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 6 put6 put6 put6 put6 put6 put6 put6 put6 put6 put6 put6
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 7 put7 put7 put7 put7 put7 put7 put7
--
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 8 put8 put8 put8 put8 put8 put8 put8
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 9 put9 put9 put9 put9 put9 put9 put9
MCOD Control Total Documentation Table 10 put10 put10 put10 put10 put10 put10 put10
MCOD Documentation Table 1
--
--
tab1 tab1
--
9th Revision 282 Causes-of-Death Recode Lists
282
282 282
--
9th Revision 72 Cause-of-Death Recode Lists
72
72 72
9th Revision 61 Cause-of-Death Recode Lists
61
61 61
9th Revision 52 Cause-of-Death Recode Lists
52
52 52
9th Revision 34 Cause-of-Death Recode Lists
34
34 34
10th Revision 358 Causes-of-Death Recode Lists
--
--
358 358 358
10th Revision 113 Cause-of-Death Recode Lists 113 113 113
10th Revision 130 Cause-of-Death Recode Lists 130 130 130
10th Revision 39 Cause-of-Death Recode Lists 39 39 39
Titles for Business or Industry Recodes 51
51
--
--
Titles for Business or Industry Recodes 15
15
Titles for Occupation Recodes 59
59
Titles for Occupation Recodes 9
9
1990 Business and Industry Classifications
--
industry.txt
1990 Occupation Classifications
occup.txt
Technical Appendix
(files below)
    Sources of Data
SD91 SD92 SD93 SD94 SD95 SD95
SD97
SD98
TA99
not yet available
    History
H93
    Classification of Data
CD91 CD92 CD93
    Quality of Data
QD91 QD92 QD93
    Computation of Rates and Other Measures
CR91 CR92 CR93
    References
R91 R92 R93
    Tables 7-1 to 7-4
-- T92 T93
    Additional Population Explanation
AP91 AP92 AP93 AP94 AP95
--
ICD-9 Title and Cross-Reference File
--
(files below)
    Introduction to ICD-9
icd9.txt
    Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
ch01.txt
    Neoplasms
ch02.txt
    Endocrine, Nutitional, & Metabolic Diseases & Immune Disorders
ch03.txt
    Diseases of Blood and Blood-forming Organs
ch04.txt
    Mental Disorders
ch05.txt
    Diseases of the Nervous System & Sense Organs
ch06.txt
    Diseases of the Circulatory System
ch07.txt
    Diseases of the Respiratory System
ch08.txt
    Diseases of the Digestive System
ch09.txt
    Diseases of the Genitourinary System
ch10.txt
    Complications of Pregnancy, Childbirth, & the Puerperium
ch11.txt
    Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue
ch12.txt
    Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue
ch13.txt
    Congenital Anomalies
ch14.txt
    Certain Conditions Originating in the Prenatal Period
ch15.txt
    Symptoms, Signs, & Ill-defined Conditions
ch16.txt
    Injury and Poisoning
ch17.txt
    Supplemental Classification - External Causes - Injury & Poison
ecodes.txt
    External Causes E800-E999
EC
Instructions for Classifying Multiple Causes of Death
--
IC
Content Report CR91 CR92 CR93 CR94 CR95
Report of Final Mortality Statistics
--
R94 R95 R96 R97 R98 R99 R00 R01 R02 R03 R04
Standard Death Certificate
sdc89

For comments or questions, e-mail data@nber.org

Last Update 2 October 2020 by feenberg@nber.org Created by Jean Roth December 1, 2000