International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision

The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) is
designed to promote international comparability in the collection, processing,
classification, and presentation of mortality statistics.  This includes
providing a format for reporting causes of death on the death certificate.
The reported conditions are then translated into medical codes through use
of the classification structure and the selection and modification rules
contained in the applicable revision of the ICD, published by the World
Health Organization (WHO).  Selection rules provide guidance for systema-
tically identifying the underlying cause of death.  Modification rules are
intended to improve the usefulness of mortality statistics by giving
preference to certain classification categories over others and/or to
consolidate two conditions or more on the certificate into one classification
category.

The ICD has been revised periodically to incorporate changes in the medical
field.  To date there have been 10 revisions of the ICD.  Currently, the
United STates uses the Ninth Revision.

To help the users of this cd-rom, Volume 1 of the ICD-9 has been placed on
this rom in two formats:  1) as part of the SETS software in the documenta-
tion section, and 2) as a separate ASCII file in the ICD9 directory.  This
volume will help the user understand the intricacies of the ICD-9 mortality
codes.  The file will also let the user search specific ICD-9 codes to
facilitate their research.  All underlying and multiple cause codes on this
rom are contained in ICD-9 Volume 1.


























                                  - 1 -