Exploring the potential of introducing an electronic death registration system in South Africa.

Background: Despite South Africa's well-established Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system (CRVS) and good completeness of death registration, challenges persist in terms of the quality of cause of death information and the delayed availability of mortality statistics. The introduction of an electronic medical certification of cause of death (eMCCD) system may offer opportunities to improve both the quality and timeliness of this information.

Methods: This study used an exploratory mixed methods design to investigate perceptions surrounding an electronic solution for registering deaths in South Africa.

Mixed-methods analysis of select issues reported in the 2016 World Health Organization verbal autopsy questionnaire.

Background: Use of a standardized verbal autopsy (VA) questionnaire, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) instrument, can improve the consistency and reliability of the data it collects. Systematically revising a questionnaire, however, requires evidence about the performance of its questions. The purpose of this investigation was to use a mixed methods approach to evaluate the performance of questions related to 14 previously reported issues in the 2016 version of the WHO questionnaire, where there were concerns of potential confusion, redundancy, or inability of the respondent to answer the question.

Safety evaluation of the single-dose Ad26.COV2.S vaccine among healthcare workers in the Sisonke study in South Africa: A phase 3b implementation trial.

Background: Real-world evaluation of the safety profile of vaccines after licensure is crucial to accurately characterise safety beyond clinical trials, support continued use, and thereby improve public confidence. The Sisonke study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Janssen Ad26.COV2.

HIV/AIDS mortality trends pre and post ART for 1997 - 2012 in South Africa - have we turned the tide?

South Africa (SA) has one of the largest HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world and the most extensive antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme globally, which was rolled out from 2004. This paper reports the trends in HIV/AIDS mortality pre and post ART rollout in SA. Methods.

Where have all the gun deaths gone?

Background: The low number of firearm assaults and overall assault-related deaths in Statistics South Africa's death notification reports is incongruous with other recently released data, including police crime statistics.

Methods: We conducted a review of all gunshot injuries recorded in death notifications from 1997 to 2013, including all cases in which the underlying cause of death was ascribed to cause-specific codes in the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) that referred to a gunshot injury.

Results: We identified 105 694 gunshot-related injury deaths over the 17-year period, an average of 6 217 per annum.

Emerging trends in non-communicable disease mortality in South Africa, 1997 - 2010.

Objectives: National trends in age-standardised death rates (ASDRs) for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in South Africa (SA) were identified between 1997 and 2010.

Methods: As part of the second National Burden of Disease Study, vital registration data were used after validity checks, proportional redistribution of missing age, sex and population group, demographic adjustments for registration incompleteness, and identification of misclassified AIDS deaths. Garbage codes were redistributed proportionally to specified codes by age, sex and population group.

Persistent burden from non-communicable diseases in South Africa needs strong action.

Continued effort and politcal will must be directed towards preventing, delaying the onset of and managing non-communicable diseases in South Africa.

Making COD statistics useful for public health at local level in the city of Cape Town: utilidad para la salud pública a nivel local en Ciudad del Cabo.

Objective: To review the quality of the coding of the cause of death (COD) statistics and assess the mortality information needs of the City of Cape Town.

Methods: Using an action research approach, a study was set up to investigate the quality of COD information, the accuracy of COD coding and consistency of coding practices in the larger health subdistricts. Mortality information needs and the best way of presenting the statistics to assist health managers were explored.