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Health Statistics

Glossary of Terms

A B C

  • Abortion - See Induced Termination of Pregnancy.
  •  Age-Specific Death Rate - Number of deaths occurring to a specific age group per 100,000 population in that group, with the exception of the age group under one year of age which is per 1,000 live births.
  • Age-Specific Fertility Rate - Number of live births occurring to women of a specific age group per 1,000 females in that age group.
  • Birth Rate - Number of live births per 1,000 population.
  • Cause-Specific Death Rate - Number of deaths from a specific cause per 100,000 population.
  • Crude Death Rate - Number of deaths per 1,000 population.

D E F

  • Divorce Rate - Number of persons divorced per 1,000 population.
  • Fertility Rate - Number of resident live births per 1,000 females 15-44 years of age.
  • Fetal Death - A fetal death of 500 grams or more, or, in the absence of weight, of 22 completed weeks of gestation or more. (Note: Induced abortions are excluded from the fetal death count.)
  • Fetal Death Rate - Number of fetal deaths per 1,000 live births.

H I

  • Hispanic Origin - Hispanic origin refers to persons whose ancestry, national group, lineage, heritage, or country of birth originated from a Spanish speaking country or culture.
  • Induced Termination of Pregnancy - The intentional termination of pregnancy for a purpose other than to produce a live-born infant or to remove a dead fetus.
  • Infant Death - A death of a live-born infant under one year of age.
  • Infant Mortality Rate - Number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

J K L

  • Live Birth - A birth in which the child shows evidence of life (includes heart action, breathing, or a coordinated movement of a voluntary muscle) after complete birth.
  • Low Birthweight - A live birth weighing less than 2,500 grams (5 pounds, 9 ounces). (See also Very Low Birthweight).

M N O

  • Marriage Rate - Number of persons married per 1,000 population.
  • Maternal Death - A death due to complications of pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium.
  • Maternal Death Rate - Number of maternal deaths per 10,000 live births. (Rates by race since 1975 are by race of mother per 10,000 live births).
  • Miscarriage - See Fetal Death
  • Neonatal Death - A death of a live-born infant under 28 days of age
  • Neonatal Mortality Rate - Number of neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births.
  • Other Termination - Total number of fetal deaths and induced abortions.
  • Other Termination Rate - Number of other terminations per 1,000 live births by race of mother.

P Q R

  • Postneonatal Death - A death of an infant 28 days or more but under one year of age.
  • Postneonatal Mortality Rate - Number of postneonatal deaths per 1,000 live births.
  • Pregnancies - The sum of live births, reportable fetal deaths, and the reported induced abortions for women 10-49 years of age.
  • Pregnancy Rate - The number of live births, reported fetal deaths, and induced terminations of pregnancy per 1,000 females.
  • Prenatal Care - The amount of prenatal care obtained by the mother is determined by information on the birth certificate concerning the month that prenatal care began and the number of prenatal visits.
  • Race - The terms "black", "white", and "other races" are used to denote the racial groups. Definitions used for classifying race are those specified by the Bureau of Census.
  • Recorded Data - Data compiled according to geographic place where the event occurred without regard to residence. (Recorded data for Tennessee include events which took place within the state, irrespective of the residences of the persons to whom the events occurred. Beginning in 1989, recorded data for marriages includes those obtaining a Tennessee license with the ceremony performed out of state.)
  • Resident Data - Data compiled according to the usual place of residence of the person to whom the event occurred without regard to the geographic place where the event occurred. For births, infant deaths, and fetal deaths, the residence is of the mother. (Resident data for Tennessee include events which occurred to residents of the state irrespective of where the events took place).

S T U

  • Stillbirth/Stillborn - See Fetal Death.
  • Unmarried - For live births and fetal deaths, mother married to father item on certificate or report checked "no".
  • Unmarried Birth Rate - Number of births to unmarried mother per 100 live births.

V W X Y Z

  • Very Low Birthweight (VLBW) - A live birth weighing less than 1,500 grams (3 pounds, 5 ounces).