Table 3 Steps in redistribution of heart failure (HF)

Step 1

define pathophysiologically plausible target list at ICD level (these targets will ultimately receive redistributed HF deaths)

that only pathophysiologically plausible deaths are miscoded as HF

Step 2

group ICD-level causes into target groups of related causes¹

Step 3

choose representative mortality dataset (can be multinational or national depending on the population being examined)

that deaths coded to heart failure targets were correctly assigned

Step 4

use regression (%TG = α + β[%HF] + ε) to define redistribution proportions for each cause, by age-sex-development group²

that deaths miscoded as heart failure are miscoded at rates disproportionate to the relative prevalence of the underlying causes of heart failure

Step 5

redistribute deaths from HF to each target group by age-sex-development group within target mortality dataset

Step 6

redistribute deaths from target group level to ICD cause level using proportionate redistribution³ within target mortality dataset

Step 7

use revised mortality dataset to calculate desired outcome measure [age-adjusted death rates, rank causes of death, etc.]

that there is no need to correct primary mortality dataset for completeness⁴