International Group for Indigenous Health Measurement: Recommendations for best practice for estimation of Indigenous mortality

AIM: To provide a best practice guide on Indigenous mortality reporting based on recommendations from the International Group for Indigenous Health Measurement. METHOD: A workshop of the International Group for Indigenous Health Measurement was held in Montreal in 2013 during which best practices in determining Indigenous mortality were discussed. A subsequent discussion paper and draft recommendations were further refined at a meeting in Vancouver in 2014. A working group finalized this best practice guide in follow-up to the two meetings. OUTCOME: Ten final recommendations are made regarding identification, community engagement and ownership, data linkage, uncertainty in official statistics and a timeline for implementation. In this paper we review and discuss these recommendations drawing on examples of best practice in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America and highlighting some shortcomings in the current practices of official statistical agencies.