Abstract
Establishing the cause of death (CoD) is critical to better understanding health and prioritizing health investments, however the use of full post-mortem examination is rare in most low and middle-income counties for multiple reasons. The use of minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) approaches, such as needle biopsies, presents an alternate means to assess CoD. In order to understand the feasibility and acceptability of MIA among communities in western Kenya, we conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with next-of-kin of recently deceased persons, community leaders and health care workers in Siaya and Kisumu counties. Results suggest two conceptual framework can be drawn, one with facilitating factors for acceptance of MIA due to the ability to satisfy immediate needs related to interest in learning CoD or protecting social status and honoring the deceased), and one framework covering barriers to acceptance of MIA, for reasons relating to the failure to serve an existing need, and/or the exacerbation of an already difficult time.
Highlights
Identification of the cause of death (CoD) is challenging in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC)
In preparation for a multi-centre mortality surveillance using minimally invasive autopsy (MIA), ethnographic feasibility and acceptability studies were conducted to understand attitudes, beliefs and practices related to death and the use of MIA in six sites from five countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia [21] under the “Cause of Death through Minimally Invasive Autopsy (CaDMIA)” project [22]
A rural area of ~700km2 is covered by a health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) operated by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) where population-based reporting of births, deaths, and migrations is conducted longitudinally among ~240,000 people in ~70,000 households [23]
Summary
Identification of the cause of death (CoD) is challenging in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC). In preparation for a multi-centre mortality surveillance using MIA, ethnographic feasibility and acceptability studies were conducted to understand attitudes, beliefs and practices related to death and the use of MIA in six sites from five countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia [21] under the “Cause of Death through Minimally Invasive Autopsy (CaDMIA)” project [22]. In western Kenya this study examined cultural, social and religious norms around death, evaluated the willingness of next-of-kin and practitioners to know the CoD and its implications in different contexts, and explored community (including next-of-kin) attitudes and behaviours towards MIAs, in order to identify factors which could influence acceptance or refusal to allow MIA
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
