Office of Statistics Liechtenstein

Register

Amt für Statistik
Aeulestrasse 51
Postfach 684
9490 Vaduz
Liechtenstein

Data on causes of death (COD) provide information on mortality patterns and form a major element of public health information.

COD data refer to the underlying cause which - according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) - is "the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death, or the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury".

Causes of death are classified by the 86 causes of the "European shortlist" of causes of death. This shortlist is based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD).

COD data are derived from death certificates. The medical certification of death is an obligation in all Member States. The information provided in the medical certificate of cause of death is coded into ICD codes according to the rules specified in the ICD.

Data are broken down by sex, 5-year age groups, cause of death and by residency and country of occurrence.

Public Health

No additional definitions.

The permanent resident population in Liechtenstein includes all Liechtenstein residents and foreigners who reside in Liechtenstein for 12 months or longer on the reference date or who intend to reside in Liechtenstein for 12 months or longer.

Liechtenstein is exempted from collecting data on stillbirths because data on stillbirths from neighbouring countries are not available to national authorities.

The statistical units are the deceased persons and the stillborns, respectively.

Information relating to this concept is provided by reporting on its sub-concepts.

Neonates of non-resident mothers are not considered residents.

Non-residents are covered.

Residents dying abroad are included. The public health officer inquires with the family doctor about the cause of death to classify it accordingly. Sex, age and month of death are known, the cause of death is known in most cases.

Liechtenstein

Time series are available from 1999. Due to the fact that 2011 data is the first data collection with a legal basis (and few changes in the requested variables and breakdowns), the data between 1999-2010 and starting from 2011 are not always comparable. This is in part due to the different groupings of causes of death.

Not applicable.

Number of deceased persons.

2021

Countries submitted data to Eurostat on the basis of a gentleman's agreement established in the framework Eurostat's Working Group on "Public Health Statistics" until data with reference year 2010. The first data submitted according to the Regulation (EU) No 328/2011 is data with reference year 2011.

A Regulation on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work (EC) No 1338/2008 was signed by the European Parliament and the Council on 16 December 2008. This Regulation is the framework of the data collection on the domain. Within the context of this framework Regulation, a Regulation on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work, as regards statistics on causes of death (EU) No 328/2011 was signed by the European Parliament and the Council on 5 April 2011.

National statistics on Causes of Death Statistics are based on the Statistics Act of 17 September 2008, LGBl. 2008 No 271.

COD data produced jointly by the Office of Statistics and the Office of Public Health.

According to the Law on Statistics (Statistics Act), the Office of Statistics may transmit personal data to other foreign statistical offices and research institutes for exclusively statistical purposes.

Data are transmitted to Eurostat according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 328/2011 of 5 April 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work, as regards statistics on causes of death.

The Law on Statistics (Statistics Act) requires the protection of personal data collected for statistical purposes through appropriate technical and organisational measures.

Statistical results that have been published or made available may not enable any conclusions to be drawn regarding the circumstances of an individual, identifiable person, unless this information is publicly accessible.

All age groups showing a total mortality of less than 4 cases are considered as confidential. Therefore, any 'confidential' age group is grouped with another one to have higher numbers. The age groups considered as confidential show then the value '*'.

The release calender of the Office of Statistics is updated at the end of each semester for the following semester.

The release calender is available on the data portal of the Office of Statistics. COD statistics are published as "Todesursachen".

https://www.statistikportal.li/de/anwendungen-datenbanken/erscheinungskalender 

Data are released on the date according to the release calendar at 09:00. The website as well as a newsletter for subscribers informs users about the release of new data.

Annual.

COD data are published annually. A newsletter gives some information about the new publication, a link to download the publication and a link to the topic on the homepage of the Office of Statistics.

COD data are published on the statistics portal of the Office of Statitstics. Data can be downloaded in excel format.

https://www.statistikportal.li/de/themen/gesundheit/todesursachen

COD data are available on the online database of the Office of Statistics. Data can be found in the Health subject area.

www.etab.llv.li

Not available.

No COD microdata are available.

Not available.

Not available.

Documentation on the methodology is included in the tab "Methodik und Qualität" on the website.

https://www.statistikportal.li/de/themen/gesundheit/todesursachen

Not available.

The production of COD statistics follows the European Code of Practice as well as the general quality guidelines of the Office of Statistics:

https://www.llv.li/inhalt/1597/amtsstellen/qualitatsgrundsatze

Documentation on the quality management specific to COD is included in the tab "Methodik und Qualität" on the website:

https://www.statistikportal.li/de/themen/gesundheit/todesursachen

COD statistics are based on the deceased persons according to the birth and death statistics. Data on deaths are based on the central population register. The production of birth and death statistics takes place as part of the production of population statistics.

All COD are classified by a single public health officer.

No COD specific quality assessment was conducted.

The main users are Research Institutes, Universities, and Public Government agencies.

No COD specific user satisfaction survey was conducted. The most recent general user satisfaction survey was conducted in 2018. Results are published on the website of the Office of Statistics.

https://www.llv.li/inhalt/118512/amtsstellen/nutzungsbefragung

Data are transmitted to Eurostat according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 328/2011 of 5 April 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work, as regards statistics on causes of death.

Liechtenstein is exempted from collecting data on stillbirths because data on stillbirths from neighbouring countries are not available to national authorities. 

1. For mandatory variables:

All mandatory data for Neonatal deaths and other deaths according to Regulation No 328/2011 are transmitted to Eurostat.

Liechtenstein is exempted from collecting data on stillbirths because data on stillbirths from neighbouring countries are not available to national authorities.

2. For voluntary variables:

Age of the mother by age group is transmitted to Eurostat. Region of occurrence (NUTS 2) of residents dying abroad, region of residence (NUTS 2) for non-residents who died in the reporting country and parity are not transmitted to Eurostat.

3. For additional variables:

• External CoD

 External COD are transmitted to Eurostat.

• Place of occurrence for external CoD

 Place of occurence for external COD are not transmitted to Eurostat.

• Activity for external CoD

 Activity for external COD are not transmitted to Eurostat.

All personal information about the deceased person with the exception of the cause of death is directly taken from the central population register which ensures high data quality. Information on the cause of death depends directly on the amount of information available to the public health officer. Differences in assessing the cause of death are not possible, since only one public health officer is responsible for the classification.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Information relating to this concept is provided by reporting on its sub-concepts.

The number of deceased persons is derived from the central population register. Over- or under-coverage are not possible.

The number of deceased persons is derived from the central population register. There are no specific issues in over- or under-coverage.

Not applicable.

All personal information about the deceased person with the exeption of the cause of death is directly taken from the central population register which ensures a high data quality. Information on the cause of death depends directly on the amout of information available to the public health officer.

The number of deceased persons is derived from the central population register.

The number of deceased persons is derived from the central population register.

When information about the cause of death is missing, the public health officer responsible for coding inquires directly with the physician.

No processing errors are known.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

According to the Regulation either aggregated or micro final data for 2021 shall be transmitted before 31 December 2023.

The data were transmitted on 18 November 2022.

The collection of the data takes place at the Office of Statistics. The classfication of all causes of death is carried out by a single public health officer.

Not applicable.

Data between 1999 and 2010 as well as starting from 2011 are not always comparable. This is in part due to the different groupings of causes of death, which are the result of the first data collection with a legal basis in 2011.

COD data since 2011 are comparable. There are eight comparable reference periods.

COD statistics are based on the deceased persons according to the birth and death statistics. Data on deaths are based on the central population register. The production of birth and death statistics takes place as part of the production of population statistics. COD data are thus fully coherent with birth and death statistics and population statistics.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

There are no inconsistencies between the neonates information provided in the General mortality dataset and in the stillbirths and neonates dataset.

There is no systematic recording of costs associated with the production of COD statistics. The cost of the data collection is being reduced by improving the existing IT-solution for COD statistics.

COD data are based on the central population register. There is thus no burden on respondents.

No COD data revisions have been carried out.

No COD data revisions have been carried out.

Not applicable.

Central population register and register of deceased persons

Administrative data are used. Continuous data collection of the deceased persons. The causes of death of the deceased persons are collected once a year.

The collection of the data takes place at the Office of Statistics. The classification of all causes of death is carried out by a single public health officer.

Table on certification (Percentage)

Stillbirths: Not applicable. Liechtenstein is exempted from collecting data on stillbirths because data on stillbirths from neighbouring countries are not available to national authorities.

Neonates: There is no difference with the regular death certificate.

The deceased persons in the reporting year according to the central population register are compared with the register of the deceased persons where the causes of death are registered.

Description of coding procedure (central level, distributed among other bodies, etc.):

The coding procedure is centralised in the Office of Public Health. The responsible public health officer uses the information provided on the death certificate to determine the cause of death. When this information is missing, she inquires directly with the physician. In cases where an autopsy was performed, the officer also obtains further information on the cause of death from the forensic physician.

Description of the procedures to detect errors (i.e.errors such as potential inconsistency in the death certificate or error due to mistake when filling the deaths certificates):

The public health officers checks the completeness of the of death certificate.

Description of the measures taken in order to solve detected errors:

The public health officer contacts the phyisician to complete missing information.

Coding performed by a certifier:

 No.

Estimation of the percentage of autopsy from which information is available for coding:

  100%

Description of double coding exercises and rate of codification errors for underlying cause of death:

 No double coding exercises were carried out.

ICD codes for the underlying cause (% of the Total)

Unknown country/region (%) for residents and non-residents who died in the country

Note: In the case of residents dying abroad, only the country of occurence is recorded.

COD statistics are based on the deceased persons according to the birth and death statistics. Data on deaths are based on the central population register. The production of birth and death statistics takes place as part of the production of population statistics. COD data are thus fully coherent with birth and death statistics and population statistics.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.