Coding System: A Source of Variability in Reported Prevalence Rates of Atrial Septal Defect

The variation in prevalence rates of ASD across different states may either indicate true differences across states or represent an artifact of case identification. Specification of the evaluative process by which cases are coded is necessary when comparing the ASD prevalence rates across states and provides insight awareness when evaluating for differences in ASD occurrences.

Objective

To define whether use of different coding systems for state birth defects surveillance systems influenced prevalence rates of Atrial Septal Defects (ASD) reported between 2005 and 2009 in the United States