Health Statistics from the Americas, 1998 Edition, is the fourth in a series begun in 1991 to complement the quadrennial publication Health in the Americas. Initially conceived as a yearbook, this publication is now produced every two years. This edition is the first to include a section devoted to a special topic-health during early childhood-which comprises Part I of this book and represents the collaborative efforts of several programs, specialized centers, and divisions of the Pan American Health Organization. As did previous editions, this volume also presents, in Part III, summarized mortality data by age group and sex for all country-years received after publication of the 1995 edition, using the 6/61 list of cause groups. It also serves to re-emphasize the importance of addressing deficiencies in data coverage and quality, so as to attain greater reliability and enhance the usefullness of mortality information (Preface)