Accuracy and completeness of mortality data in the Department of Veterans Affairs

Table 3 Comparison of VA Mortality Data with NDI Data by Source (N = 2,998)*

Data Source	Deceased in Source	Deceased in NDI		Sensitivity	Specificity	PPV	NPV
		Yes	No		(95% Confidence Interval)
BIRLS-DF	Yes	226	3	77.4	99.9	98.7	97.6
	No	66	2,703	(72.2 – 82.1)	(99.7 – 100.0)	(96.2 – 99.7)	(97.0 – 98.2)
MSID	Yes	35	0	12.0	100.0	100.0	91.3
	No	257	2,706	(8.49 – 16.3)	(99.9 – 100.0)	(90.0 – 100.0)	(90.3 – 92.3)
MVS	Yes	243	3	83.2	99.9	98.8	98.2
	No	49	2,703	(78.4 – 87.3)	(99.7 – 100.0)	(96.5 – 99.7)	(97.7 – 98.7)
SSA-DMF	Yes	269	3	92.1	99.9	98.9	99.2
	No	23	2,703	(88.4 – 94.9)	(99.7 – 100.0)	(96.8 – 99.8)	(98.7 – 99.5)
Combined data	Yes	287	5	98.3	99.8	98.3	99.8
	No	5	2,701	(96.0 – 99.4)	(99.6 – 99.9)	(96.0 – 99.4)	(99.6 – 99.9)

* NDI indicates the National Death Index; BIRLS-DF, the Beneficiary Identification and Resource Locator Subsystem Death File; MSID, the VHA Medical SAS Inpatient Datasets; MVS, Medicare Vital Status; SSA-DMF, the Social Security Administration Death Master File; PPV, positive predictive value; NPV, negative predictive value.

ISSN: 1478-7954