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Kwesiga D, Wanduru P, Eriksson L, Malqvist M, Waiswa P, Blencowe H. Psychosocial effects of adverse pregnancy outcomes and their influence on reporting pregnancy loss during surveys and surveillance: narratives from Uganda. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1581. [PMID: 37596665 PMCID: PMC10439567 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16519-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2021, Uganda had an estimated 25,855 stillbirths and 32,037 newborn deaths. Many Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (APOs) go unreported despite causing profound grief and other mental health effects. This study explored psychosocial effects of APOs and their influence on reporting these events during surveys and surveillance settings in Uganda. METHODS A qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2021 in Iganga Mayuge health and demographic surveillance system site, eastern Uganda. Narratives were held with 44 women who had experienced an APO (miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death) and 7 men whose spouses had undergone the same. Respondents were purposively selected and the sample size premised on the need for diverse respondents. Reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken, supported by NVivo software. RESULTS 60.8% of respondents had experienced neonatal deaths, 27.4% stillbirths, 11.8% miscarriages and almost half had multiple APOs. Theme one on psychosocial effects showed that both women and men suffered disbelief, depression, shame and thoughts of self-harm. In theme two on reactions to interviews, most respondents were reminded about their loss. Indeed, some women cried and a few requested termination of the interview. However, many said they eventually felt better, especially where interviewers comforted and advised them. In theme three about why people consent to such interviews, it was due to the respondents' need for sensitization on causes of pregnancy loss and danger signs, plus the expectation that the interview would lead to improved health services. Theme four on suggestions for improving interviews highlighted respondents' requests for a comforting and encouraging approach by interviewers. CONCLUSION Psychosocial effects of APOs may influence respondents' interest and ability to effectively engage in an interview. Findings suggest that a multi-pronged approach, including interviewer training in identifying and dealing responsively with grieving respondents, and meeting needs for health information and professional counselling could improve reporting of APOs in surveys and surveillance settings. More so, participants need to understand the purpose of the interview and have realistic expectations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Kwesiga
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Phillip Wanduru
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Leif Eriksson
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Malqvist
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Waiswa
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hannah Blencowe
- Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive & Child Health Centre (MARCH), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Andersen KN, Shittu F, Magama A, Ahmed T, Bakare D, Salako J, Burgess RA, King C. Perceptions of child death in Jigawa State, Nigeria: a mixed-methods study on how sociocultural nuances shape paediatric mortality reporting. Glob Health Action 2022; 15:2120251. [PMID: 36326015 PMCID: PMC9639556 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2022.2120251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vital statistics are critical for effective public health and monitoring progress towards child survival. Nigeria has the highest global under-five mortality rate; however, deaths are often under- or misreported. OBJECTIVE We explored perceptions of child deaths and socio-cultural factors influencing the reporting of child deaths in Jigawa State, Nigeria. METHODS We conducted a triangulation mixed-methods study in Kiyawa local government area, Jigawa, including: four focus group discussions (FGDs) with 8-12 women, six key informant interviews (KII) with Imams, and process data from 42 verbal autopsies (VAs) conducted with caregivers of deceased children. Data was collected between November 2019-April 2021. Purposive sampling was used to recruit FDG and KII participants and two-stage systematic and simple random sampling was employed to recruit VA participants. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis; VA data was described with proportions. RESULTS Five categories emerged from FGDs: culturally grounded perceptions of child death, etiquette in mourning and offering condolence, formal procedures surrounding child death, the improving relationship between hospital and community, and reporting practices. Women expressed that talking or crying about a death was not culturally accepted, and that prayer is the most acceptable form of coping and offering condolence. Many women expressed that death was God's will. These findings correlated with VAs, in which visible signs of emotional distress were recorded in 31% of the interviews. Three categories emerged from KIIs: religion as part of formal procedures surrounding child death, communities support the bereaved, and multilayered reasons for unreported deaths. Imams serve a key role as community leaders, involved in both the logistical and religious aspects of their community, though they are not involved in mortality reporting. CONCLUSION Religion plays a central role in burial practices, community mourning rituals, and expression of grief, but does not extend to reporting of child deaths. Imams could provide an opportunity for improving vital registration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Funmilayo Shittu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Damola Bakare
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Julius Salako
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Carina King
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
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Blasini AW, Waiswa P, Wolski A, Wanduru P, Finkbeiner C, Bakari A, Amutuhaire L, Moyer CA. Comparing quantitative and qualitative verbal and social autopsy tools: does a qualitative supplement improve understanding of the social determinants of under-five deaths in the slums of Kampala, Uganda? JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.29392/001c.38743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Understanding biological causes of death and sociocultural factors influencing outcomes is critical to reducing mortality in low-resource settings. Verbal and Social Autopsy instruments (VASAs) query family members about events leading to an individual’s death, resulting in quantitative, categorical data. This study sought to determine the value of a supplemental in-depth qualitative interview (VASA-QUAL). Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in two slum neighborhoods in Kampala, Uganda, among families who lost a child under five within the preceding six months. A trained, local researcher conducted the quantitative VASA and then administered the VASA-QUAL to family members. Quantitative data were analyzed using Stata V16.0; qualitative data were transcribed into English and analyzed using NVivo V12.0. The biomedical cause of death was determined using a panel of physicians to code verbal autopsy items. Quantitative VASA variables were compared with qualitative variables from the VASA-QUAL using a rubric of indicators derived from the Pathways to Survival framework. Kappa statistics and percent agreement were calculated to compare quantitative and qualitative data. Three coders independently rated whether qualitative data provided additional information that improved understanding of the cause of death. Results 48 VASAs were conducted (child age range: 1 month to 52 months). Agreement on key indicators ranged from 81.2% (place of death) to 93.8% (recognition of illness), with Kappa coefficients ranging from -0.038 to 0.368. The qualitative component added or clarified information about pediatric illness and care-seeking across all indicators, including recognition of illness (94.0%), care-seeking decisions (79.0%), whether home care was provided (73.0%), and choice of outside care (85.0%). Qualitative interviews frequently included symptoms missing or denied in the quantitative VASA and clarified the chronological order of symptoms. Many qualitative interviews described complicated mechanisms of decision-making not captured in the quantitative survey. Both agreement across data types and whether meaningful information was added by the qualitative data varied by cause of death, although our sample size limited our ability to conduct statistical analysis in this regard. Conclusions Supplementing quantitative VASA tools with an in-depth VASA-QUAL interview provided important additional information, but not consistently across indicators or causes of death. Despite challenges associated with feasibility, supplemental qualitative interviews may be an important tool for understanding the complexity of events leading up to childhood deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Waiswa
- Health Policy, Planning, and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health; Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute
| | | | - Phillip Wanduru
- Health Policy, Planning, and Management, Makerere University School of Public Health; Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute
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de André CDS, Bierrenbach AL, Barroso LP, de André PA, Justo LT, Pereira LAA, Taniguchi MT, Minto CM, Takecian PL, Kamaura LT, Ferreira JE, Hazard RH, Mclaughlin D, Riley I, Lopez AD, Ramos AMDO, de Souza MDFM, França EB, Saldiva PHN, da Silva LFF. Validation of physician certified verbal autopsy using conventional autopsy: a large study of adult non-external causes of death in a metropolitan area in Brazil. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:748. [PMID: 35421964 PMCID: PMC9008898 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13081-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Reliable mortality data are essential for the development of public health policies. In Brazil, although there is a well-consolidated universal system for mortality data, the quality of information on causes of death (CoD) is not even among Brazilian regions, with a high proportion of ill-defined CoD. Verbal autopsy (VA) is an alternative to improve mortality data. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of an adapted and reduced version of VA in identifying the underlying causes of non-forensic deaths, in São Paulo, Brazil. This is the first time that a version of the questionnaire has been validated considering the autopsy as the gold standard.
Methods
The performance of a physician-certified verbal autopsy (PCVA) was evaluated considering conventional autopsy (macroscopy plus microscopy) as gold standard, based on a sample of 2060 decedents that were sent to the Post-Mortem Verification Service (SVOC-USP). All CoD, from the underlying to the immediate, were listed by both parties, and ICD-10 attributed by a senior coder. For each cause, sensitivity and chance corrected concordance (CCC) were computed considering first the underlying causes attributed by the pathologist and PCVA, and then any CoD listed in the death certificate given by PCVA. Cause specific mortality fraction accuracy (CSMF-accuracy) and chance corrected CSMF-accuracy were computed to evaluate the PCVA performance at the populational level.
Results
There was substantial variability of the sensitivities and CCC across the causes. Well-known chronic diseases with accurate diagnoses that had been informed by physicians to family members, such as various cancers, had sensitivities above 40% or 50%. However, PCVA was not effective in attributing Pneumonia, Cardiomyopathy and Leukemia/Lymphoma as underlying CoD. At populational level, the PCVA estimated cause specific mortality fractions (CSMF) may be considered close to the fractions pointed by the gold standard. The CSMF-accuracy was 0.81 and the chance corrected CSMF-accuracy was 0.49.
Conclusions
The PCVA was efficient in attributing some causes individually and proved effective in estimating the CSMF, which indicates that the method is useful to establish public health priorities.
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Loh P, Fottrell E, Beard J, Bar-Zeev N, Phiri T, Banda M, Makwenda C, Bird J, King C. Added value of an open narrative in verbal autopsies: a mixed-methods evaluation from Malawi. BMJ Paediatr Open 2021; 5:e000961. [PMID: 33614993 PMCID: PMC7871275 DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The WHO standardised verbal autopsy (VA) instrument includes closed questions, ascertaining signs and symptoms of illness preceding death, and an optional open narrative. As VA analyses increasingly use automated algorithms, inclusion of narratives should be justified. We evaluated the role of open narratives on VA processes, data quality and respondent's emotional stress. METHODS A mixed-methods analysis was conducted using VA data for child deaths (0-59 months), between April 2013 and November 2016 in Mchinji district, Malawi. Deaths were prospectively randomised to receive closed questions only or open narrative followed by closed questions. On concluding the VA, interviewers self-completed questions on respondents' emotional stress. Logistic regression was used to determine associations with visible emotional distress during VAs. A group discussion with interviewers was conducted at the project end, to understand field experiences and explore future recommendations; data were coded using deductive themes. RESULTS 2509 VAs were included, with 49.8% (n=1341) randomised to open narratives. Narratives lasted a median of 7 minuntes (range: 1-113). Interviewers described improved rapport and felt narratives improved data quality, although there was no difference in the proportion of deaths with an indeterminate cause using an automated algorithm (5.3% vs 6.1%). The majority of respondents did not display visible emotional stress (81%). Those with a narrative had higher, but not statistically significant, odds of emotional distress (adjusted OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.47). Factors associated with emotional stress were: infant deaths versus neonates; deaths at a health centre or en-route to hospital versus home; and higher socioeconomic status. Non-parental respondents and increased time between death and interview were associated with lower odds of emotional distress. CONCLUSION Conducting an open narrative may help build rapport, something valued by the interviewers. However, additional time and emotional burdens should be further justified, with quality and utility of narratives promoted through standardised recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Loh
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Edward Fottrell
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - James Beard
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Naor Bar-Zeev
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi.,International Vaccine Access Center, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jon Bird
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Carina King
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Jeblee S, Gomes M, Jha P, Rudzicz F, Hirst G. Automatically determining cause of death from verbal autopsy narratives. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2019; 19:127. [PMID: 31288814 PMCID: PMC6617656 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-019-0841-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A verbal autopsy (VA) is a post-hoc written interview report of the symptoms preceding a person's death in cases where no official cause of death (CoD) was determined by a physician. Current leading automated VA coding methods primarily use structured data from VAs to assign a CoD category. We present a method to automatically determine CoD categories from VA free-text narratives alone. METHODS After preprocessing and spelling correction, our method extracts word frequency counts from the narratives and uses them as input to four different machine learning classifiers: naïve Bayes, random forest, support vector machines, and a neural network. RESULTS For individual CoD classification, our best classifier achieves a sensitivity of.770 for adult deaths for 15 CoD categories (as compared to the current best reported sensitivity of.57), and.662 with 48 WHO categories. When predicting the CoD distribution at the population level, our best classifier achieves.962 cause-specific mortality fraction accuracy for 15 categories and.908 for 48 categories, which is on par with leading CoD distribution estimation methods. CONCLUSIONS Our narrative-based machine learning classifier performs as well as classifiers based on structured data at the individual level. Moreover, our method demonstrates that VA narratives provide important information that can be used by a machine learning system for automated CoD classification. Unlike the structured questionnaire-based methods, this method can be applied to any verbal autopsy dataset, regardless of the collection process or country of origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Jeblee
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mireille Gomes
- Centre for Global Health Research, St.Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Prabhat Jha
- Centre for Global Health Research, St.Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Frank Rudzicz
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Surgical Safety Technologies Inc, Toronto, Canada
| | - Graeme Hirst
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, Canada
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Riley ID, Hazard RH, Joshi R, Chowdhury HR, Lopez AD. Monitoring progress in reducing maternal mortality using verbal autopsy methods in vital registration systems: what can we conclude about specific causes of maternal death? BMC Med 2019; 17:104. [PMID: 31155009 PMCID: PMC6545734 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-019-1343-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Reducing maternal mortality is a key focus of development strategies and one of the indicators used to measure progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In the absence of medical certification of the cause of deaths that occur in the community, verbal autopsy (VA) methods are the only available means to assess levels and trends of maternal deaths that occur outside health facilities. The 2016 World Health Organization VA Instrument facilitates the identification of eight specific causes of maternal death, yet maternal deaths are often unsupervised, leading to sparse and generally poor symptom reporting to inform a reliable diagnosis using VAs. There is little research evidence to support the reliable identification of specific causes of maternal death in the context of routine VAs. We recommend that routine VAs are only used to capture the event of a maternal death and that more detailed follow-up interviews are used to identify the specific causes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian D Riley
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Riley H Hazard
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Rohina Joshi
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Alan D Lopez
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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de Savigny D, Riley I, Chandramohan D, Odhiambo F, Nichols E, Notzon S, AbouZahr C, Mitra R, Cobos Muñoz D, Firth S, Maire N, Sankoh O, Bronson G, Setel P, Byass P, Jakob R, Boerma T, Lopez AD. Integrating community-based verbal autopsy into civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS): system-level considerations. Glob Health Action 2018; 10:1272882. [PMID: 28137194 PMCID: PMC5328373 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2017.1272882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Reliable and representative cause of death (COD) statistics are essential to inform public health policy, respond to emerging health needs, and document progress towards Sustainable Development Goals. However, less than one-third of deaths worldwide are assigned a cause. Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems in low- and lower-middle-income countries are failing to provide timely, complete and accurate vital statistics, and it will still be some time before they can provide physician-certified COD for every death. Proposals: Verbal autopsy (VA) is a method to ascertain the probable COD and, although imperfect, it is the best alternative in the absence of medical certification. There is extensive experience with VA in research settings but only a few examples of its use on a large scale. Data collection using electronic questionnaires on mobile devices and computer algorithms to analyse responses and estimate probable COD have increased the potential for VA to be routinely applied in CRVS systems. However, a number of CRVS and health system integration issues should be considered in planning, piloting and implementing a system-wide intervention such as VA. These include addressing the multiplicity of stakeholders and sub-systems involved, integration with existing CRVS work processes and information flows, linking VA results to civil registration records, information technology requirements and data quality assurance. Conclusions: Integrating VA within CRVS systems is not simply a technical undertaking. It will have profound system-wide effects that should be carefully considered when planning for an effective implementation. This paper identifies and discusses the major system-level issues and emerging practices, provides a planning checklist of system-level considerations and proposes an overview for how VA can be integrated into routine CRVS systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don de Savigny
- a Department of Epidemiology and Public Health , Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute , Basel , Switzerland.,b University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland.,c Melbourne School of Population and Global Health , University of Melbourne , Carlton , Australia
| | - Ian Riley
- c Melbourne School of Population and Global Health , University of Melbourne , Carlton , Australia
| | - Daniel Chandramohan
- d Department of Disease Control , London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London , UK
| | - Frank Odhiambo
- e African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) , Kisumu , Kenya
| | - Erin Nichols
- f National Centre for Health Statistics , Centres for Disease Control and Prevention , Hyattsville , MD , USA
| | - Sam Notzon
- f National Centre for Health Statistics , Centres for Disease Control and Prevention , Hyattsville , MD , USA
| | | | - Raj Mitra
- h Africa Centre for Statistics , United Nations Economic Commission for Africa , Addis Ababa , Ethiopia
| | - Daniel Cobos Muñoz
- a Department of Epidemiology and Public Health , Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute , Basel , Switzerland.,b University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland
| | - Sonja Firth
- c Melbourne School of Population and Global Health , University of Melbourne , Carlton , Australia
| | - Nicolas Maire
- a Department of Epidemiology and Public Health , Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute , Basel , Switzerland.,b University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland
| | - Osman Sankoh
- i INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,j School of Public Health , University of Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa
| | | | | | - Peter Byass
- l WHO Collaborating Centre for Verbal Autopsy, Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Epidemiology and Global Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,m MRC-Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health , University of Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa
| | - Robert Jakob
- n Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems , World Health Organization , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Ties Boerma
- n Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems , World Health Organization , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Alan D Lopez
- c Melbourne School of Population and Global Health , University of Melbourne , Carlton , Australia
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Joshi R, Faruqui N, Nagarajan SR, Rampatige R, Martiniuk A, Gouda H. Reporting of ethics in peer-reviewed verbal autopsy studies: a systematic review. Int J Epidemiol 2018; 47:255-279. [PMID: 29092034 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyx216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Verbal autopsy (VA) is a method that determines the cause of death by interviewing a relative of the deceased about the events occurring before the death, in regions where medical certification of cause of death is incomplete. This paper aims to review the ethical standards reported in peer-reviewed VA studies. Methods A systematic review of Medline and Ovid was conducted by two independent researchers. Data were extracted and analysed for articles based on three key areas: Institutional Review Board (IRB) clearance and consenting process; data collection and management procedures, including: time between death and interview; training and education of interviewer, confidentiality of data and data security; and declarations of funding and conflict of interest. Results The review identified 802 articles, of which 288 were included. The review found that 48% all the studies reported having IRB clearance or obtaining consent of participants. The interviewer training and education levels were reported in 62% and 21% of the articles, respectively. Confidentiality of data was reported for 14% of all studies, 18% did not report the type of respondent interviewed and 51% reported time between death and the interview for the VA. Data security was reported in 8% of all studies. Funding was declared in 63% of all studies and conflict of interest in 42%. Reporting of all these variables increased over time. Conclusions The results of this systematic review show that although there has been an increase in ethical reporting for VA studies, there still remains a large gap in reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohina Joshi
- George Institute for Global Health
- University of New South Wales
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Neha Faruqui
- George Institute for Global Health
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | - Alex Martiniuk
- George Institute for Global Health
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hebe Gouda
- School of Public Health
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Abstract
SETTING Siaya County, with the highest tuberculosis notification rates in Kenya. OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of active tuberculosis and 1-year cohort retention in 12-18-year-old adolescents, in preparation for phase III tuberculosis vaccine trials. METHODS Adolescents were enrolled and followed up for 1-2 years to determine tuberculosis incidence. Adolescents with a positive tuberculin skin test, history of cohabitation with a tuberculosis case or at least 1 tuberculosis symptom received clinical and sputum examination and a chest radiograph. Definite tuberculosis cases were bacteriologically confirmed and clinical cases diagnosed by a clinician based on a suggestive chest radiograph and having clinical symptoms. Risk factors were explored using Poisson regression. RESULTS Among 4934 adolescents without tuberculosis at baseline, 26 tuberculosis cases were identified during follow-up with a corresponding incidence density of 4.4 [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.0-6.4] events per 1000 person-years of observation, 12 definite tuberculosis cases; incidence density of 2.0 (95% CI: 0.9-3.1). Having previous tuberculosis (rate ratio: 12.5; CI: 1.8-100) and presence of tuberculin skin test conversion (rate ratio: 3.4; CI: 1.5-7.7) were significantly associated with higher risk of tuberculosis. Overall (4086/4925), 83.0% of adolescents were retained in the study after 1 year of follow-up. Being female, older, out of school and being orphaned were significant risk factors for loss to follow-up. CONCLUSION The tuberculosis incidence in adolescents will help inform future tuberculosis vaccine trial sample size calculations for this setting. The predictive factors for tuberculosis and retention can be further explored in future trials.
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Flaxman AD, Stewart A, Joseph JC, Alam N, Alam S, Chowdhury H, Gamage S, Gouda H, Joshi R, Lucero M, Mooney MD, Praveen D, Rampatige R, Remolador H, Sanvictores D, Serina PT, Streatfield PK, Tallo V, Wijesekera N, Murray CJL, Hernandez B, Lopez AD, Riley ID. Implementing the PHMRC shortened questionnaire: Survey duration of open and closed questions in three sites. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178085. [PMID: 28570596 PMCID: PMC5453488 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background More countries are using verbal autopsy as a part of routine mortality surveillance. The length of time required to complete a verbal autopsy interview is a key logistical consideration for planning large-scale surveillance. Methods We use the PHMRC shortened questionnaire to conduct verbal autopsy interviews at three sites and collect data on the length of time required to complete the interview. This instrument uses a novel checklist of keywords to capture relevant information from the open response. The open response section is timed separately from the section consisting of closed questions. Results We found the median time to complete the entire interview was approximately 25 minutes and did not vary substantially by age-specific module. The median time for the open response section was approximately 4 minutes and 60% of interviewees mentioned at least one keyword within the open response section. Conclusions The length of time required to complete the interview was short enough for large-scale routine use. The open-response section did not add a substantial amount of time and provided useful information which can be used to increase the accuracy of the predictions of the cause of death. The novel checklist approach further reduces the burden of transcribing and translating a large amount of free text. This makes the PHMRC instrument ideal for national mortality surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham D. Flaxman
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrea Stewart
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jonathan C. Joseph
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nurul Alam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Saidul Alam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Hafizur Chowdhury
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Saman Gamage
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Workforce Development, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kalutara, Sri Lanka
| | - Hebe Gouda
- Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea
- School of Public Health, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, QLD, Australia
| | - Rohina Joshi
- The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Marilla Lucero
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Meghan D. Mooney
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Devarsetty Praveen
- The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
- George Institute of Global Health India, Hyderabad, India
| | - Rasika Rampatige
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Hazel Remolador
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | | | - Peter T. Serina
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | | | - Veronica Tallo
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Nandalal Wijesekera
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Workforce Development, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kalutara, Sri Lanka
| | - Christopher J. L. Murray
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Bernardo Hernandez
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Alan D. Lopez
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian Douglas Riley
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Gouda HN, Flaxman AD, Brolan CE, Joshi R, Riley ID, AbouZahr C, Firth S, Rampatige R, Lopez AD. New challenges for verbal autopsy: Considering the ethical and social implications of verbal autopsy methods in routine health information systems. Soc Sci Med 2017; 184:65-74. [PMID: 28501755 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Verbal autopsy (VA) methods are designed to collect cause-of-death information from populations where many deaths occur outside of health facilities and where death certification is weak or absent. A VA consists of an interview with a relative or carer of a recently deceased individual in order to gather information on the signs and symptoms the decedent presented with prior to death. These details are then used to determine and assign a likely cause-of-death. At a population level this information can be invaluable to help guide prioritisation and direct health policy and services. To date VAs have largely been restricted to research contexts but many countries are now venturing to incorporate VA methods into routine civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems. Given the sensitive nature of death, however, there are a number of ethical, legal and social issues that should be considered when scaling-up VAs, particularly in the cross-cultural and socio-economically disadvantaged environments in which they are typically applied. Considering each step of the VA process this paper provides a narrative review of the social context of VA methods. Harnessing the experiences of applying and rolling out VAs as part of routine CRVS systems in a number of low and middle income countries, we identify potential issues that countries and implementing institutions need to consider when incorporating VAs into CRVS systems and point to areas that could benefit from further research and deliberation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hebe N Gouda
- University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Australia; University of Queensland, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Australia.
| | - Abraham D Flaxman
- University of Washington, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, USA
| | - Claire E Brolan
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Australia; University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Canada
| | - Rohina Joshi
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Australia; University of Sydney, The George Institute of Public Health, Australia
| | - Ian D Riley
- University of Queensland, School of Public Health, Australia; University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Australia
| | | | - Sonja Firth
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Australia
| | - Rasika Rampatige
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Australia
| | - Alan D Lopez
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Australia
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