Deriving causes of child mortality by re-analyzing national verbal autopsy data applying a standardized computer algorithm in Uganda, Rwanda and Ghana.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To accelerate progress toward the Millennium Development Goal 4, reliable information on causes of child mortality is critical. With more national verbal autopsy (VA) studies becoming available, how to improve consistency of national VA derived child causes of death should be considered for the purpose of global comparison. We aimed to adapt a standardized computer algorithm to re-analyze national child VA studies conducted in Uganda, Rwanda and Ghana recently, and compare our results with those derived from physician review to explore issues surrounding the application of the standardized algorithm in place of physician review.

Methods and findings

We adapted the standardized computer algorithm considering the disease profile in Uganda, Rwanda and Ghana. We then

SUBMITTER: Liu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4467513 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature