Mortality Disparities in American Communities Study (MDAC)

The objectives of this national study are to analyze social, economic, demographic, and occupational differentials in mortality by causes relevant to NHLBI; to analyze the contribution and effect modification of the neighborhood environment to these relationships; analyze social and economic differentials in healthcare utilization and outcomes among the elderly; and to examine healthcare encounters and outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries. These objectives are achieved through record linkage of the large, nationally representative American Community Survey with mortality from the National Death Index (NDI) and Medicare/Medicaid information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To overcome the limited availability of person level socio-demographic information in the national vital statistics mortality database and to obtain self-reported racial/ethnic and socioeconomic data, the NHLBI will participate in a second Mortality Disparities in American Communities Study (MDAC2). The MDAC2 is an intergovernmental study that prospectively follows a large cohort of American men and women drawn from the Census Bureau’s 2014 (or 2015) American Communities Survey (ACS).