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Verbal autopsy for neurological diseases
Farrah J Mateen1, Henry D Kalter
1Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA. fmateen@jhsph.edu
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|February 4, 2012
Summary
Verbal autopsy interviews help determine causes of death, especially for neurological diseases in areas lacking vital registration. This review examines its uses, benefits, and limitations for neurological disease research.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Verbal autopsy (VA) is an interview-based method to ascertain causes of death in populations.
- It is vital for burden of disease studies, particularly in regions with weak or absent civil registration systems.
- Understanding the impact of neurological diseases requires accurate mortality data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the applications of verbal autopsy in studying neurological diseases.
- To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of using verbal autopsy for neurological conditions.
- To inform the appropriate use of VA in neurological disease burden analyses.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies utilizing verbal autopsy for neurological diseases.
- Analysis of the purposes, advantages, and disadvantages of this methodology.
- Synthesis of findings to provide a comprehensive overview.
Main Results:
- Verbal autopsy is a key tool for estimating neurological disease mortality where data is scarce.
- Strengths include its applicability in low-resource settings and ability to capture causes missed by other methods.
- Weaknesses involve potential for misclassification and reliance on respondent recall.
Conclusions:
- Verbal autopsy is a valuable, albeit imperfect, tool for assessing the burden of neurological diseases globally.
- Methodological improvements and careful interpretation are necessary for accurate results.
- Its continued use is essential for public health planning and resource allocation for neurological conditions.
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