Cause of death reporting systems in India: a performance analysis

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Demography

Background:

• Reliable cause of death statistics are crucial for health sector planning.
• India's system relies on lay reporting in rural areas, facing challenges in coverage and compliance.
• Existing cause of death data usability is questioned due to systemic issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of India's cause of death reporting system.
• To identify key factors affecting the usability of cause of death statistics in India.
• To propose recommendations for improving the system's effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Described India's reporting system and criteria for a usable system.
• Evaluated the system's performance against 9 identified criteria.
• Assessed rural and urban areas using a three-category rating scale.

Main Results:

• Major factors impacting usability include poor coverage and high unclassifiable deaths.
• Significant delays and irregular publication of statistics were observed.
• Lack of systematic screening processes hinders data utilization.

Conclusions:

• Recommendations include periodical reviews to improve coverage and physician training.
• Enhancements involve state-level data compilation, sponsored research, and computerization.
• Amending the Registration of Births and Deaths Act is proposed to improve medical record-keeping and reduce unclassifiable deaths.