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Table 2 Garbage codes and their target underlying causes. Possible underlying causes are listed in the left column, and garbage codes are listed along the top row. Check marks represent which underlying causes were chosen as potential targets for a given garbage code

From: Improving the usefulness of US mortality data: new methods for reclassification of underlying cause of death

Possible true underlying cause

Garbage code

Septicemia

Heart failure

Ill-defined cancer

Volume depletion

Ill-defined

Ill-defined cardiovascular

Ill-defined injury

Undetermined intent

Ill-defined infectious

A.1 HIV and tuberculosis

  

   

A.2 Respiratory infections

  

   

A.3 Maternal conditions

  

   

A.4 Perinatal conditions

  

   

A.5 Other communicable diseases

  

   

B.1.1 Lung cancer

 

    

B.1.2 Liver cancer

 

    

B.1.3 Breast cancer

 

    

B.1.4 Digestive cancers

 

    

B.1.5 Lymphomas and leukaemias

 

    

B.1.6 Other cancers

 

    

B.2 Diabetes mellitus

 

   

B.3.1 Ischaemic heart disease

 

   

B.3.2 Stroke

 

   

B.3.3 Other cardiovascular diseases

 

   

B.4 Chronic respiratory diseases

 

   

B.5 Cirrhosis

 

   

B.6 Renal failure

 

   

B.7 Other non-communicable diseases

 

   

B.8 Mental and neurological conditions

    

    

C.1.1 Road traffic injuries

  

 

  

C.1.2 Other unintentional injuries

  

 

 

C.2.1 Suicide

  

 

 

C.2.2 Homicide and war