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Validation studies of verbal autopsy methods: a systematic review
Buddhika P K Mahesh1, John D Hart1, Ajay Acharya1
1Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
BMC Public Health
|November 29, 2022
Summary
Verbal autopsy (VA) effectively assigns causes of death where medical certification is lacking. However, validation studies show methodological inconsistencies, necessitating standardized approaches for reliable cause of death assignment.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Demography
Background:
- Verbal autopsy (VA) is crucial for determining causes of death globally, especially in regions with limited medical certification.
- This study systematically reviewed VA validation studies to identify key methodological characteristics.
Approach:
- A systematic review searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane-library, and Scopus for studies validating VA cause of death.
- 66 studies were selected after screening 527 initial records, with data extraction focusing on VA and validation components.
Key Points:
- Included studies varied in VA questionnaires (WHO, PHMRC) and comparator data quality.
- Physician certification was more common (36 studies) than computer-coded methods (14 studies).
- 37 studies utilized high-level comparator data with laboratory investigations.
Conclusions:
- While VA is generally effective, validation studies exhibit methodological inconsistencies.
- Many studies used suboptimal comparison data for cause of death.
- Standardized validation methodologies are essential for policy decisions on appropriate VA methods.
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