Racial differences between linked birth and infant death records in Washington State

Abstract

The race of infants who died in Washington State 1968-1977 was ascertained by two different methods: (1) race on the death record, and (2) race on the corresponding linked birth record. The second method resulted in substantial increases in the number of infant deaths for the non-white races: Indian 39% (n = 114/293), Filipino 56% (n = 19/34), Japanese 121% (n = 23/19), and Chinese 117% (n = 14/12). For Indians, the discrepancy between birth and death records was greatest when the age at death was less than seven days (p < 0.01).