For the first time, the 1998 Summary includes data on the 59 New York City community districts. Information from birth certificates and death certificates filed with the DOH, which individually are confidential under law, has been computed and analyzed exhaustively by our Office of Vital Statistics, so that aggregate data for 1998 is available instantly to researchers, policymakers, and other interested parties, in the formats most frequently requested. Many New Yorkers have told us that our annual Summaries provide them with a wealth of interesting information about the City's population, and are useful for a variety of purposes. The Summary of Vital Statistics 1998 contains 54 tables and graphs which focus primarily on births and deaths in New York City. As in previous years, data are presented by variables such as borough of residence, age, race and ethnicity.
Several tables show historical trends.
In addition, the 1998 Summary includes tables on other topics about which the DOH is contacted frequently, including cases of selected reportable diseases over the years, and the most popular baby names in New York City. An extensive technical notes and definitions section is also provided, to help explain what the data mean. The Summary of Vital Statistics 1998 will soon be available on the City's Web site.