Abstract

TOME, PATRICIA et al. Characteristics associated to the underregistration of deaths in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Salud pública Méx [online]. 1997, vol.39, n.6, pp. 523-529. ISSN 0036-3634.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-36341997000600005.

Objective. To estimate the frequency of underregistered children deaths in rural areas and to identify associated characteristics. Material and methods. The study was conducted in three stages. In the first, three strata of communities were formed according to the number of inhabitants; then a representative number of villages was randomly selected from each stratum. A census was made in each village to determine the deaths occurred between June 1993 and July 1994. In the second stage, the verbal autopsy method was used with the mothers of the dead children to determine the cause of death and investigate the study variables. In the third stage, registration of death was verified through the death certificates. Results. An underregistration frequency of 68.9% was found; in communities of less than 500 inhabitants underregistration reached 73.2% and in larger communities it was 60.5%. Characteristics associated to underregistration were the lack of birth and death certificate, age younger than one month, lack of information on the concept and purpose of a Public Registration Office, distance from the Public Registration Office and to the doctor of more than 30 minutes, and community smaller than 1 000 inhabitants. Conclusions. A modification in the current organization of the death registration procedure is proposed and the use of a birth certificate designed by the National Health System.

Keywords : infant mortality; vital registration; Mexico.