Verbal autopsy: a tool for determining cause of death in a community

Authors

Nazrat M. Mirza, University of Nairobi
William Macharia, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Ezekiel Wafula, University of Nairobi
Francis E. Onyango, University of Nairobi
R. O. Agwanda, University of Nairobi

Document Type

Article

Department

Paediatrics and Child Health (East Africa)

Abstract

Verbal autopsy was used to determine causes of death in 239 Kenyan children under the age of 5 years. The diagnosis derived from verbal autopsy was corroborated with hospital diagnosis in 39 cases. There was concurrence of diagnosis in 72% of the cases. Using the diagnosis of bronchopneumonia to validate the method, verbal autopsy was found to have a sensitivity of 71%, specificity of 92%, and a positive predictive value of 85%. Recall period up to 29 months after death was found to be reliable.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.

Publication (Name of Journal)

East African Medical Journal

Recommended Citation

Mirza, N. M., Macharia, W., Wafula, E., Onyango, F. E., Agwanda, R. O. (1990). Verbal autopsy: a tool for determining cause of death in a community. East African Medical Journal, 67(10), 693-698.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_paediatr_child_health/40