National Death Index Data- NLST & PLCO

National Cancer Institute, Frederick MD

Investigators

Abstract

National Cancer Institute (NCI) agrees to provide partial funding support for the vital statistics activities of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and /or for the procurement of State death records for use by the NCHS National Death Index (NDI). These death records are obtained by NCHS via contracts with the State vital statistics offices. In exchange for this funding support from NCI, NCHS agrees to assist NCI by performing linkages with the NDI file for the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) screening trial and National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). The linkage is used to determine if a participant has died, their date of death, and the underlying cause of death. The information is necessary to calculate mortality rates in each study. The number of file searches performed and the number of records searched will be limited by the comparable cost of NDI linkages to other NDI users based on the NDI fee schedule in effect at the time the searches are performed.