Definition

Quality control of vital statistics is a standardised systematic set of controls and checks to assess the quality of vital statistics.

Description

The quality and reliability of the information gathered must be evaluated if it is to become useful and usable evidence for action. The availability of high-quality data allows for their conversion into credible and compelling evidence that can inform decision making by end users.

Assuring data quality is an essential first step and begins during the data collection phase of the cycle. This is the phase where registration data are being collected and transferred for compilation. At this stage of the cycle, the focus is on microdata – that is, the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in each record. During the later stages of data analysis and packaging through to dissemination, reporting and use, quality-assessment processes will primarily focus instead on the accuracy, consistency and plausibility of the aggregated data – that is, the total counts of births and deaths, and causes of death. This distinction is important since different data-quality assessment techniques will be applied in each case.

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Methods and tools to evaluate the quality of vital statistics