-dstdize- to calculate average age-adjusted death rate by race

[Caroline Thirukumaran]

Good Morning,

I would like to calculate the average age-adjusted death rate by race (separately for whites and blacks), and test if the rates for countries are statistically different. As an example, I have modified Stata's mortality data file as follows:

clear
input str6 nation byte age_category float(population deaths)
input str6 nation byte age_category race_category float(population deaths)
"Sweden" 1 1 3100000  3000
"Sweden" 1 2 45000  523
"Sweden" 2 1 3000000  10000
"Sweden" 2 2 57000  928
"Panama" 1 1 700000  300
"Panama" 1 2 41000  904
"Panama" 2 1 270000  1000
"Panama" 2 2 75000  421
end
label values age_category age_lbl
label def age_lbl 1 "0 - 29", modify
label def age_lbl 2 "30 - 59", modify
label values race_category race_lbl
label def race_lbl 1 "White", modify
label def race_lbl 2 "Black", modify

Based on my understanding of the -dstdize- command, the following code will give me the average death rate by race for each country.

dstdize deaths population age_category, by(nation race_category)

I have the following two questions:
1. In my study, I have about 300 countries. Hence, I would like to present an age-adjusted rate for blacks and whites (averaged across all countries). I just want to make sure that the following code will help me achieve this?

dstdize deaths population age_category, by(race_category)

2. Is there a way for me to test if the death rate for whites in Sweden is statistically different from that for whites in Panama?

I am using Stata MP 14.2 for Windows.

Many thanks in advance,
Caroline

[Caroline Thirukumaran]

Good Morning Statlisters,

I would greatly appreciate your advice on my question regarding the -dstdize- command that I posted yesterday.

Thank you,
Caroline