Vital Statistics Data
All live births are required by law to be reported to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City. Birth data are available publically or by request, depending on the type of data that you need.
Birth Data
Public data sets (Birth Data)
Simple counts, percentages, and rates not found in the Annual Summary or EpiQuery may be made available if DOHMH determines they pose no risk for personal re-identification. Examples of the types of data that can be obtained:
- What was the birth rate for Asian women living in Brooklyn from 2005 to 2007?
- How many infants born to Hispanic mothers in 2008 in Brooklyn weighed less than 2,500 grams?
To request public use data of this kind, click here to fill out a Data Project Details Form and Data Use Application and email both forms to vsdata@health.nyc.gov.
If aggregated data is deemed identifiable, you will be informed and certain restrictions may apply as explained below in the section “Birth data requiring permissions.”
Birth data requiring permissions
Two kinds of birth data require a signed Data Use Agreement, which limits possession and permissible uses of the information.
- Limited Use Datasets: Line listed pre-defined data sets identifiers removed:
DOHMH provides pre-defined identifiable Limited Use Birth Datasets available from 1996 forward. These contain sufficient individual characteristics of births that potentiate individual re-identification even though direct identifiers (e.g. names, address, etc.) literals and exact dates are removed. Data sets are accompanied by file formats describing the specific variables included. Certain restrictions apply.- Limited Use Birth file Format (2008-present, PDF)
- Customized Identifiable Data:
If more select or detailed data than that available in the Limited Use Birth data is needed for your project, you may request customized datasets. Certain restrictions apply. Apply now.
For more information, please contact vsdata@health.nyc.gov .
Mortality Data (Death Data)
Mortality data (death data) are derived from death certificates, which contain demographic information such as the decedent's age, sex, race, and residence as well as information about the cause of death. Mortality data are available publically or by request, depending on the type of data that you need.
Public data sets (Mortality Data)
Simple counts, percentages, and rates not found in the Annual Summary, EpiQuery, or Micro-SAS Death Datasets may be made available if DOHMH determines they pose no risk for personal re-identification. Examples of the types of data that can be obtained:
- How many people died in traffic accidents in Staten Island in 2009?
To request public use data of this kind, click here to fill out a Data Project Details Form (PDF) and Data Use Application and email both forms to vsdata@health.nyc.gov
If aggregated data is deemed identifiable, you will be informed and certain restrictions may apply as explained below in the section “Mortality data requiring permissions.”
Mortality data requiring permissions
Two kinds of mortality data require a signed Data Use Agreement, which limits possession and permissible uses of the information.
- Limited Use Datasets: Line listed pre-defined data sets identifiers removed:
DOHMH provides pre-defined identifiable Limited Use Death Datasets available from 1996 forward. These contain sufficient individual characteristics of deaths that potentiate individual re-identification even though direct identifiers (e.g. names, address, etc.) literals and exact dates are removed. Data sets are accompanied by file formats describing the specific variables included. Certain restrictions apply.- Limited Use Death file Format (2008-present, PDF)
- Customized Identifiable Data:
If more select or detailed data than that available in the Limited Use Death data is needed for your project, you may request customized datasets. Certain restrictions apply. Apply now.
For more information, please contact vsdata@health.nyc.gov.
Infant Mortality Data
Public data sets (Infant Mortality Data)
Simple counts, percentages, and rates not found in the Annual Summary or EpiQuery may be made available if DOHMH determines they pose no risk for personal re-identification. Examples of the types of data that can be obtained:
- What is the trend in the Infant Mortality Rate in New York City over the past five years?
To request public use data of this kind, click here to fill out a Data Project Details Form (PDF) and Data Use Application and email both forms to vsdata@health.nyc.gov.
If aggregated data is deemed identifiable, you will be informed and certain restrictions may apply as explained below in the section “Birth data requiring permissions.”
Infant mortality data requiring permissions
One kind of infant mortality data requires a signed Data Use Agreement, which limits possession and permissible uses of the information.
- Customized Identifiable Data:
If more select or detailed data than that available in aggregated infant mortality data is needed for your project, you may request customized datasets. Certain restrictions apply. Apply now.
For more information, please contact vsdata@health.nyc.gov.
More Resources
Additional Information
The Bureau of Vital Statistics website www.nyc.gov/vitalstats contains links to the historic annual Summary of Vital Statistics which contain additional tables, technical notes, and sample certificates for various years.
Selected publications featuring NYC vital statistics data
Madsen A, Thihalolipavan S, Maduro G, Zimmerman R, Koppaka R, Li W, Foster V, Begier E. An Intervention to Improve Cause-Of Death Reporting in New York City hospitals, 2009-2010. Prev Chronic Dis. 2012;9E157.
Johns LE, Madsen AM, Maduro G, Zimmerman R, Konty K, Begier E. A Case Study of the Impact of Inaccurate Cause-of-Death Reporting on Health Disparity Tracking: New York City Premature Cardiovascular Mortality. Am J Public Health. 2012, Sept 20.
France AM, Bornschlegel K, Lazaroff J, Kennedy J, Balter S. Estimating the Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection-New York City, 2008. J Urban Health. 2012;89(2):373-83.
Jordan HT, Brackbill RM, Cone JE, Debchoudhury I, Farfel MR, Greene CM, Hadler JL, Kennedy J, Li J, Liff J, Stayner L, Stellman SD. Mortality among Survivors of the Sept 11, 2001, World Trade Center Disaster: Results from the World Trade Center Health Registry Cohort. Lancet. 2011;378(9794):879-87.
Kerker BD, Bainbridge J, Kennedy J, Bennani Y, Agerton T, Marder D, Forgione L, Faciano A, Thorpe LE. A Population-based Assessment of the Health of Homeless Families in New York City, 2001-2003. Am J Public Health. 2011;101(3):546-53.
Pfeiffer MR, Hanna DB, Begier EM, Sepkowitz KA, Zimmerman R, Sackoff JE. Excess Mortality among Injection Drug Users with AIDS, New York City (1999-2004). Subst Use Misuse. 2011;46(2-3):245-53.
Thihalolipavan S, Madsen A, Smiddy M, Li W, Begier E, Zimmerman R. Etiology of Nonspecific Cause of Death Coding in New York City Motor Vehicle Crash-related Fatalities. Traffic Inj Prev. 2011;12(1):18-23.
Trasande L, Andrews HF, Goranson C, Li W, Barrow EC, Vanderbeek SB, McCrary B, Allen SB, Gallagher KD, Rundle A, Quinn J, Brenner B. Early Experiences and Predictors of Recruitment Success for the National Children's Study. Pediatrics. 2011;127(2):261-8.
Yunzal-Butler C, Sackoff J, Li W. Medication Abortions among New York City Residents, 2001-2008. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2011;43(4):218-23. Pediatrics. 2011;127(2):261-8.
Agarwal R, Norton JM, Konty K, Zimmerman R, Glover M, Lekiachvili A, McGruder H, Malarcher A, Casper M, Mensah GA, Thorpe L. Overreporting of Deaths from Coronary Heart Disease in New York City Hospitals, 2003. Prev Chronic Dis. 2010;7(3):A47.