What to know
- The information funeral directors collect on death certificates is important to public health.
- When completing a death certificate, collect the best information related to a decedent's longest-held job, also called the "usual" occupation.
- Collect a detailed description of both the usual occupation and corresponding industry.
- Remember, occupation is different from industry.
- View our 7-part training video series below for more tips.
Why good data are important
The information funeral directors collect in Electronic Death Registry Systems (EDRSs) is important to public health.
If the occupation and industry information on a death certificate is incomplete or inaccurate, researchers cannot correctly identify links between a cause of death and a specific occupation or industry.
Video 1: Introduction
How these data are used
- Detect new illnesses or injuries occurring in relation to specific industries or occupations.
- Monitor known associations between job hazards and illnesses (e.g., Black Lung Disease in the coal industry reemerged in 2019).
- Calculate the burden of illness for specific industries or occupations to prioritize research.
- Guide prevention efforts and more in-depth research on links between work and health.
Usual = the longest-held
Death certificates ask for USUAL occupation.
Usual occupation is the job the person had the longest. This may not be their most recent or current occupation, or the one that paid the highest salary.
Video 2: Defining usual occupation and industry
Occupation is different from industry
Occupation vs. Industry
Occupation is what the person did for a living.
Industry is the type of business or activity where the person worked.
Occupation
Occupation is what the person did for a living or the type of job they had—usually, this is the job title. Examples include architect, registered nurse, computer programmer, and medical laboratory technician, elementary school teacher, and auto mechanic.
Video 3: Common occupation responses and how to improve them
Industry
Industry is the type of business or activity where the person worked. Industry pertains only to what the business does and not what the worker did at that business. Examples include a movie theater, an airline, a general hospital, a golf course, a high school, and a beer bottling facility.
Video 4: Common industry responses and how to improve them
Tips to get the best information
We offer tips below, but have more detailed guidance!
We hit on the high points below but offer more detailed guidance for collecting the best industry and occupation data.
- If you determine that they were never employed, please indicate "Never worked."
- Fill out the occupation and industry information for every decedent ever employed in their life.
- If a person was retired, that generally indicates they had an occupation at some point.
- Record the longest-held occupation and corresponding industry.
- People who had a disability often still worked with their disability or had a job before the disability.
- If having a disability prevented them from ever having a job, please enter "Never Worked."
- It is better to ask what the decedent's occupation was first and then ask their industry.
- This is because more people are familiar with a person's job and may be confused about their industry.
- For occupation, for a vague response like "consultant," ask, "What type of consultant were they?"
- For industry, if they give a vague answer ask, "What did their company do or make?"
- Job hazards for the same occupation can vary depending on the industry where the person worked.
- Please do your best to get both.
Video 5: Special issues
Video 6: Example
Video 7: Review