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Karl Eschbach, PhD, Yong-Fang Kuo, PhD and James S. Goodwin, MD

Karl Eschbach, Yong-Fang Kuo, and James S. Goodwin are with the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, and the Sealy Center on Aging at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Tex.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Karl Eschbach, Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0460 (e-mail: kaeschba{at}utmb.edu).

Objectives. We determined the size and correlates of underascertainment of Hispanic ethnicity on California death certificates.

Methods. We used 1999 to 2000 vital registration data. We compared Hispanic ethnicity reported on the death certificate to Hispanic ethnicity derived from birthplace for the foreign-born and an algorithm that used first and last name and percentage of Hispanics in the county of residence for the US-born. We validated death certificate nativity by comparing data with that in linked Social Security Administration records.

Results. Ethnicity and birthplace information was concordant for foreign-born Hispanics, who have mortality rates that are 25% to 30% lower than those of non-Hispanic Whites. Death certificates likely underascertain deaths of US-born Hispanics, particularly at older ages, for persons with more education, and in census tracts with lower percentages of Hispanics. Conservative correction for under-ascertainment eliminates the Hispanic mortality advantage for US-born men.

Conclusions. Hispanic ethnicity is accurately ascertained on the California death certificate for immigrants. Immigrant Hispanics have lower age-adjusted mortality rates than do non-Hispanic Whites. For US-born Hispanics, the mortality advantage compared with non-Hispanic Whites is smaller and may be explained by underreporting of Hispanic ethnicity on the death certificate.

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