[Exercising care in filling out death certificates].

Abstract

Death certificates of 1,432 dead persons being older than 1 year of the urban district of Gera (1987) were evaluated. 72.3% of the death certificates showed one or more mistakes. The average number of the mistakes was 1.8. The most numerous formal mistakes and such with regard to the contents were analyzed as well as conclusions were drawn for the further qualification of the coroner physicians and the improvement of filing in the death certificates.