The Use of Death Certificate Data to Characterize Mortality Associated With Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Unspecified Bronchiolitis, and Influenza in the United States, 1999–2018

Abstract Background Death certificate data can improve our understanding of the mortality burden associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza. Methods We used International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes listed on death certificates to characterize deaths from 1999 to 2018 as RSV, influenza, and unspecified bronchiolitis. We described the distribution of each cause of death by age, sex, race/ethnicity, place of death, and contributing causes of death. Results Over the 20-year study period, RSV, bronchiolitis, and influenza were listed as the underlying causes of death on 932, 1046, and 52 293 death certificates, respectively. Children