Quality report of the OSF publication series
The register of induced abortions and sterilisations
Relevance of statistical data
The Register of Induced Abortions and Sterilisations contains data on the annual numbers of induced abortions and sterilisations. In addition, data on induced abortions are provided by age group and hospital district per 1000 women of the same age, and data on sterilisations by gender and age group per 1000 women or men aged 25–54.
The Statistical Summary also gives numbers concerning grounds for induced abortions and sterilisations, the gestational stage at which induced abortions are performed, previous abortions and deliveries among abortion patients, methods of abortion used, and the contraceptive methods that abortion patients have used or that have been planned for them.
The Statistical Summary aims to provide up-to-date information on induced abortions and sterilisations to health-care professionals, administrators, planning officials and researchers working in the area of reproductive health and thus in need of this type of information.
The Summary text describes the concepts, definitions and symbols used in the statistics.
The collection of data is based on the Act on the Statistical Service of the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (409/2001), as well as on the Act (556/1989) and the Decree (774/1989) on National Personal Records Kept under the Health Care System.
Description of methods used in statistical research
Data on induced abortions and sterilisations are collected from all hospitals in Finland that perform induced abortions and sterilisations. The statistical population consists of all persons who have undergone induced abortion or sterilisation. In accordance with the current legislation (Act (238/1970) and Decree (359/1970) on Induced Abortion; Act (283/1970) and Decree (427/1985) on Sterilisation), the physician performing the procedure is required to report the case to the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) within one month using a specific data collection form approved by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
The data in the forms are stored electronically in the Register of Induced Abortions and Sterilisations, a statutory register maintained by STAKES pursuant to the Act on National Personal Records Kept under the Health Care System (566/1989), and Section 6 of the subsequent Decree (774/1989). Data check-ups are made regularly and any unclear cases and diagnoses are checked and ascertained by contacting the hospitals that have performed the procedure concerned. The statistics almost invariably have a coverage of 100%.
Correctness and accuracy of data
The data are correct if they have been reported correctly. In unclear cases, the data in the Register of Induced Abortions and Sterilisations are compared with those in other registers (Birth Register, Care Register). If necessary, the hospital that has performed the procedure is contacted for ascertaining the data.
Estimates made on the basis of the preliminary statistics have found to be very close to the real figures. The numbers of cases given in the preliminary statistics are usually somewhat lower than those in the final statistics as a few notification forms from the hospitals may arrive with a delay. Any errors identified in the statistics will be corrected.
Timeliness and promptness of published data
Statistics on induced abortions and sterilisations are produced by STAKES biannually, and published in April and September. The April statistics consist of the previous year's preliminary statistics, while the September statistics consist of the previous year's final statistics. In addition, half-year preliminary statistics are published each autumn concerning induced abortions performed during the ongoing year's first six months.
Accessibility and transparency/clarity of data
In addition to being published at the STAKES website at http://www.stakes.fi/statistics/abortions and http://www.stakes.fi/statistics/sterilisations. The Statistical Summary is sent to all hospitals that perform abortions and sterilisations.
Comparability of statistical data
In Finland, the Act on Induced Abortion, the first ever piece of legislation on abortion, came into force on 1 July 1950, whilst statistics on induced abortions have been published since 1951. The current Act on Induced Abortions originates from 1970. Since 1987, data on induced abortions and sterilisations have been kept in a STAKES database. Official statistical publications by the National Board of Health (one of STAKES' predecessors) have been used as a source of information for earlier years.
Data for 1987–2001 have been checked for instance by removing data that had been entered twice and by adding missing cases, so that these data may deviate from previously published statistics to a degree. With regard to age specific data, it should be noted that from 1994 onwards such data in the Register refer to the age of the patient on the day of the procedure, whereas the data for preceding years refer to the age at the end of the year. For the purposes of the Statistical Summary, the data for 1986–1993 have been calculated retrospectively using the patient's age on the day of the procedure. More accurate information on any factors influencing the interpretation of the statistics, such as legislative reforms, is given specifically for each table.
The concept of induced abortion and that of sterilisation, as well as their definitions, have remained unchanged all the time.
Clarity and consistency
The data on induced abortions and sterilisations in the Statistical Summary are nationwide. The numbers of cases given in the preliminary statistics are comparable with those in the final annual statistics.
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