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. 2021 May 1;21(1):408.
doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06427-y.

Application of verbal autopsy in routine civil registration in Lusaka District of Zambia

C Chabila Mapoma  1 , Brian Munkombwe  2 , Chomba Mwango  3 , Bupe Bwalya Bwalya  4 , Audrey Kalindi  1 , N Philimon Gona  5
Affiliations

Application of verbal autopsy in routine civil registration in Lusaka District of Zambia

C Chabila Mapoma et al. BMC Health Serv Res. .

Abstract

Background: Ascertaining the causes for deaths occurring outside health facilities is a significant problem in many developing countries where civil registration systems are not well developed or non-functional. Standardized and rigorous verbal autopsy methods is a potential solution to determine the cause of death. We conducted a demonstration project in Lusaka District of Zambia where verbal autopsy (VA) method was implemented in routine civil registration system.

Methods: About 3400 VA interviews were conducted for bodies "brought-in-dead" at Lusaka's two major teaching hospital mortuaries using a SmartVA questionnaire between October 2017 and September 2018. Probable underlying causes of deaths using VA and cause-specific mortality fractions were determined.. Demographic characteristics were analyzed for each VA-ascertained cause of death.

Results: Opportunistic infections (OIs) associated with HIV/AIDS such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, and malaria were among leading causes of deaths among bodies "brought-in-dead". Over 21.6 and 26.9% of deaths were attributable to external causes and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), respectively. The VA-ascertained causes of death varied by age-group and sex. External causes were more prevalent among males in middle ages (put an age range like 30-54 years old) and NCDs highly prevalent among those aged 55 years and older.

Conclusions: VA application in civil registration system can provide the much-needed cause of death information for non-facility deaths in countries with under-developed or non-functional civil registration systems.

Keywords: Cause of death; SmartVA; Verbal autopsy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percent Distribution of the Non- Facility Deaths by Age and Sex
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Adult Cause Specific Mortality Fractions
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Child Cause Specific Mortality Fractions
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Neonate Cause Specific Mortality Fractions
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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