Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42322009›Full record

ArticleJournal of forensic sciences2026

Stakeholders' perspectives on integrating point-of-care diagnostics into forensic death investigations in South Africa.

Sebueng Ramatsokotla, Bathabile Soul, Kuhlula Maluleke, Lucinda Evert, Stefan Jansen van Vurren, Bettina Chale-Matsau, Susan Mabotja, Evans Duah, Tivani Mashamba-Thompson

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Article in Journal of forensic sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors.

Sebueng RamatsokotlaCentre for Development and Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Bathabile SoulDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Kuhlula MalulekeCentre for Development and Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Lucinda EvertInternational Committee of the Red Cross, Pretoria, South Africa.
Stefan Jansen van VurrenDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Bettina Chale-MatsauDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3368-6398
Susan MabotjaDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Evans DuahCentre for Development and Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Tivani Mashamba-ThompsonCentre for Development and Implementation of Point-of-Care Diagnostics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Unnatural and unexplained deaths present critical challenges to the criminal justice, medico-legal, and public health systems. This study explored forensic professionals' perspectives on the integration of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics into unnatural death investigations in South Africa. A Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was conducted with eight key forensic stakeholders to identify and prioritize the potential benefits, facilitators, and barriers associated with POC implementation. Stakeholders ranked guidance for investigation and autopsy, improved turnaround times, and resource efficiency as the most significant POC diagnostic benefits. Scientific validity, quality assurance, and alignment with legal and regulatory frameworks were identified as critical facilitators, whereas technical limitations, quality management gaps, and legal uncertainties emerged as key barriers. Participants emphasized that POC diagnostics could support timely decision-making during death scene investigations and autopsies, reduce laboratory backlogs, and improve family and community outcomes through faster case resolution. However, successful integration requires standardized protocols, validation, and appropriate training to ensure scientific and legal defensibility. These findings provide foundational evidence to inform the responsible integration of POC diagnostics into forensic death investigations, with potential benefits for justice delivery and community health in South Africa.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelForensic SciencesPoint-of-Care SystemsAutopsyHumansSouth Africaforensic death investigationnominal group techniquePOC diagnosticspoint‐of‐care testingquality assurancesub‐Saharan Africa

Identifiers

PMID42322009
PMCPMC13534864

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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.