ArticlePloS one2023
Verbal autopsy analysis of childhood deaths in rural Gambia.
Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence and risk factors of under-five mortality due to severe acute malnutrition in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Decrease in Incidence of Diarrhea Due to Cryptosporidium in Bangladeshi Children Is Associated With an Increase in Anti-Cryptosporidium Antibody Avidity.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2025Observational
- Mortality in children and adolescents in Western Democratic Republic of Congo: retrospective analysis of verbal autopsy and demographic data from the Kimpese Health and Demographic Surveillance System.BMJ paediatrics open · 2025Article
- Social contacts and mixing patterns in rural Gambia.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Starvation remains the leading cause of death in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, after the Pretoria deal: a call for expedited action.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Under-5 mortality surveillance in low-income and middle-income countries: insights from two Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems in rural Gambia.BMJ global health · 2024Article
- Mixed-methods study assessing the accuracy of verbal autopsy and sociocultural determinants of infant mortality in Gujarat, India.Journal of education and health promotion · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
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Abstract
backgroundIn low-resource settings, it is challenging to ascertain the burden and causes of under-5 mortality as many deaths occur outside health facilities. We aimed to determine the causes of childhood deaths in rural Gambia using verbal autopsies (VA). METHODOLOGY: We used WHO VA questionnaires to conduct VAs for deaths under-5 years of age in the Basse and Fuladu West Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) in rural Gambia between September 01, 2019, and December 31, 2021. Using a standardized cause of death list, two physicians assigned causes of death and discordant diagnoses were resolved by consensus.
resultsVAs were conducted for 89% (647/727) of deaths. Of these deaths, 49.5% (n = 319) occurred at home, 50.1% (n = 324) in females, and 32.3% (n = 209) in neonates. Acute respiratory infection including pneumonia (ARIP) (33.7%, n = 137) and diarrhoeal diseases (23.3%, n = 95) were the commonest primary causes of death in the post-neonatal period. In the neonatal period, unspecified perinatal causes of death (34.0%, n = 71) and deaths due to birth asphyxia (27.3%, n = 57) were the commonest causes of death. Severe malnutrition (28.6%, n = 185) was the commonest underlying cause of death. In the neonatal period, deaths due to birth asphyxia (p-value<0.001) and severe anaemia (p-value = 0.03) were more likely to occur at hospitals while unspecified perinatal deaths (p-value = 0.01) were more likely to occur at home. In the post-neonatal period, deaths due to ARIP (p-value = 0.04) and diarrhoeal disease (p-value = 0.001) were more likely to occur among children aged 1-11 months and 12-23 months respectively.
conclusionAccording to VA analysis of deaths identified within two HDSS in rural Gambia, half of deaths amongst children under-5 in rural Gambia occur at home. ARIP and diarrhoea, and the underlying cause of severe malnutrition remain the predominant causes of child mortality. Improved health care and health-seeking behaviour may reduce childhood deaths in rural Gambia.
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