Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37495370›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2023

Excess mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020 and 2021 waves in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Joelinotahiana Hasina Rabarison, Jean Marius Rakotondramanga, Rila Ratovoson, Bruno Masquelier, Anjaraso Maharavo Rasoanomenjanahary, Anou Dreyfus, Andres Garchitorena, Fidisoa Rasambainarivo, Norosoa Harline Razanajatovo, Soa Fy Andriamandimby and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 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.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Observational
  3. Article
  4. Rethinking the evidence on COVID-19 in Africa.The Lancet. Infectious diseases · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Joelinotahiana Hasina Rabarison *Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Jean Marius Rakotondramanga *Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.ORCID 0000-0003-0490-7665
Rila RatovosonInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Bruno MasquelierUniversite Catholique de Louvain Centre de recherche en demographie et societes, Louvain la neuve, Belgium.
Anjaraso Maharavo RasoanomenjanaharyBureau Municipal d'Hygiène, Commune Urbaine d'Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Anou DreyfusInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Andres GarchitorenaInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.ORCID 0000-0001-6225-5226
Fidisoa RasambainarivoDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
Norosoa Harline RazanajatovoInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Soa Fy AndriamandimbyInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
C Jessica MetcalfDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3166-7521
Vincent LacosteInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Jean-Michel HeraudInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar jean-michel.heraud@pasteur.fr.ORCID 0000-0003-1107-0859
Philippe DussartInstitut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Funding

Sustaining Surveillance Networks and Response to Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza U51IP000812 · IP · PASTEUR INSTITUTE FROM MADAGASCAR · PI HERAUD, JEAN-MICHEL · 2013 to 2015
$1.5M
NCIRD CDC HHS U51 IP000812
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCOVID-19-associated mortality remains difficult to estimate in sub-Saharan Africa because of the lack of comprehensive systems of death registration. Based on death registers referring to the capital city of Madagascar, we sought to estimate the excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic and calculate the loss of life expectancy.

methodsDeath records between 2016 and 2021 were used to estimate weekly excess mortality during the pandemic period. To infer its synchrony with circulation of SARS-CoV-2, a cross-wavelet analysis was performed. Life expectancy loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic was calculated by projecting mortality rates using the Lee and Carter model and extrapolating the prepandemic trends (1990-2019). Differences in life expectancy at birth were disaggregated by cause of death.

resultsPeaks of excess mortality in 2020-21 were associated with waves of COVID-19. Estimates of all-cause excess mortality were 38.5 and 64.9 per 100 000 inhabitants in 2020 and 2021, respectively, with excess mortality reaching ≥50% over 6 weeks. In 2021, we quantified a drop of 0.8 and 1.0 years in the life expectancy for men and women, respectively attributable to increased risks of death beyond the age of 60 years.

conclusionWe observed high excess mortality during the pandemic period, in particular around the peaks of SARS-CoV-2 circulation in Antananarivo. Our study highlights the need to implement death registration systems in low-income countries to document true toll of a pandemic.

Indexed as

COVID-19MortalityRespiratory Tract InfectionsCause of DeathDisease OutbreaksFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMadagascarMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsPublic HealthSARS-CoV-2COVID-19epidemiologypublic healthrespiratory infections

Identifiers

PMID37495370
PMCPMC10373673

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.