II.    Data File Characteristics

       Each record on the annual tape files contains two multiple cause-of-death fields
       which have been coded using ICD-9.  In addition, underlying cause, demographic,
       and geographic detail data accompany the multiple cause-of-death data.  The tape
       files contain the complete level of detail coded by NCHS except where precluded
       by confidentiality restrictions or lack of data reliability.

       Specifications for the 1998 tape files are as follows:

       File Organization:             Multiple files, multiple reels
       Record Type:                   Blocked, fixed format
       Record Length:                 440
       Blocksize:                     26400

U.S. DATA SET:

       1.     Record count:                                   2,340,708
       2.     Data counts:   a. By occurrence:                2,340,708
                                b. By residence:              2,337,256
                                c. To foreign residents:             3,452

PUERTO RICO, VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM,  AMERICAN SAMOA AND NORTHERN
MARIANAS  DATA SET:

       1.  Record count:                                           31,655

PUERTO RICO:
       2.  Data counts:       a.  By occurrence:                   29,986
                              b.  By residence                     29,861
VIRGIN ISLANDS:
       2.  Data counts:       a.  By occurrence:                        613
                              b.  By residence:                         615
GUAM:2. Data Counts: a.  By occurrence:                                 651
                              b.  By residence:                         632
AMERICAN SAMOA:
       2. Data Counts:        a.  By occurrence:                        243
                              b.  By residence:                         243
NORTHERN MARIANAS:
       2. Data Counts:        a.  By occurence:                         162
                              b.  By residence:                         162

          1.  The data were processed using the PL/1 language on an IBM 9672.



         2.  The last block for the data year may be a short block.

         3.  The data are recorded in IBM/EBCDIC 8-bit code for each character.

         4.  Codes may be numeric, alphabetic, or blank (Hex 40).

         5.  A code "z" is the EBCDIC code for the letter "z".

         6.  A code "&" is the EBCDIC code for an ampersand (a punched card
               code 12).