Death registration on the Kenyan Coast

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Demography
• Health Information Systems

Background:

• District-level statistics are vital for health care planning and program evaluation.
• A civil registration system has operated in Kilifi district, Kenya, since 1986.
• Accurate mortality data is essential for understanding population health trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy of a civil registration system with active mortality surveillance.
• To identify deficiencies in the existing civil registration system in Kilifi district.
• To inform strategies for improving vital statistics collection in the region.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a one-year prospective, independent surveillance of mortality events.
• Defined a study population of approximately 51,000 individuals in Kilifi district.
• Compared mortality data from active surveillance with records from the civil registration system.

Main Results:

• The civil registration system markedly under-reported deaths compared to active surveillance.
• Childhood deaths were particularly under-reported in the civil registration data.
• Significant discrepancies highlight limitations in the current registration system's coverage.

Conclusions:

• The current civil registration system in Kilifi district is inadequate for comprehensive mortality tracking.
• There is a critical need to enhance the coverage and accuracy of civil registration.
• Alternative or supplementary data collection methods should be explored to improve vital statistics.