Saul S. Morris|Robert E. Black|Lana Tomaškovi?
Predicting the distribution of under-five deaths by cause in countries without adequate vital registration systems
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
background absence complete vital registration atypical nature locations epidemiological studies cause death children conducted make difficult know true distribution child deaths cause developing countries credible method needed generating valid estimates distribution countries without adequate vital registration systems methods systematic review undertaken studies published since 1980 reporting under5 mortality cause causes death standardized across studies information collected characteristics study population metaregression model used relate characteristics various proportional mortality outcomes predict distribution national populations known characteristics 46 studies met inclusion criteria results proportional mortality outcomes significantly associated region mortality level exposure malaria coverage measles vaccination safe delivery care safe water study year age children surveillance method used establish definitive cause death subsaharan africa south asia predicted distribution deaths cause pneumonia 23 23 malaria 24 1 diarrhoea 22 23 neonatal 29 52 measles 2 1 conclusions countries without adequate vital registration possible estimate proportional distribution child deaths cause exploiting systematic associations distribution characteristics populations studied controlling design features studies