Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://www.repositorio.uem.mz/handle258/947
Title: A 10 year study of the cause of death in children under 15 years in Manhiça, Mozambique
Authors: Sacarlal, Jahit
Nhacolo, Ariel Q.
Sigaúque, Betuel
Nhalungo, Delino A.
Abacassamo, Fatima
Sacoor, Charfudin N.
Aide, Pedro
Machevo, Sonia
Nhampossa, Tacilta
Macete, Eusébio V.
Bassat, Quique
David, Catarina
Bardají, Azucena
Letang, Emili
Saúte, Francisco
Aponte, John J.
Thompson, Ricardo
Alonso, Pedro L.
Keywords: Mortality
Children
HIV/AIDS
Pneumonia
Issue Date: 2009
Publisher: BMC
Abstract: Background: Approximately 46 million of the estimated 60 million deaths that occur in the world each year take place in developing countries. Further, this mortality is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, although causes of mortality in this region are not well documented. The objective of this study is to describe the most frequent causes of mortality in children under 15 years of age in the demographic surveillance area of the Manhiça Health Research Centre, between 1997 and 2006, using the verbal autopsy tool. Methods: Verbal autopsy interviews for causes of death in children began in 1997. Each questionnaire was reviewed independently by three physicians with experience in tropical paediatrics, who assigned the cause of death according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Each medical doctor attributed a minimum of one and a maximum of 2 causes. A final diagnosis is reached when at least two physicians agreed on the cause of death. Results: From January 1997 to December 2006, 568499 person-year at risk (pyrs) and 10037 deaths were recorded in the Manhiça DSS. 3730 deaths with 246658 pyrs were recorded for children under 15 years of age. Verbal autopsy interviews were conducted on 3002 (80.4%) of these deaths. 73.6% of deaths were attributed to communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases accounted for 9.5% of the defined causes of death, and injuries for 3.9% of causes of deaths. Malariawas the single largest cause, accounting for 21.8% of cases. Pneumonia with 9.8% was the second leading cause of death, followed by HIV/AIDS (8.3%) and diarrhoeal diseases with 8%. Conclusion: The results of this study stand out the big challenges that lie ahead in the fight against infectious diseases in the study area. The pattern of childhood mortality in Manhiça area is typical of developing countries where malaria, pneumonia and HIV/AIDS are important causes of death.
URI: http://www.repositorio.uem.mz/handle258/947
Appears in Collections:Artigos Publicados em Revistas Cientificas - FAMED

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
2009 - Sacarlal, Jahit.pdf727.02 kBAdobe PDFView/Open


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.