Analysis of Young Infant Deaths Using Verbal Autopsies and Accuracy of Verbal Autopsy Tool in Chennai, India

Objective To identify medical and non-medical factors associated with young infant deaths using verbal autopsies and to evaluate the validity of state verbal autopsy tool in identifying medical causes. Design Descriptive study to report factors associated with young infant deaths, and diagnostic accuracy study of the verbal autopsy tool. Results Prematurity related illnesses were the major contributors to mortality. Deliveries were predominantly in health care facilities (99%); lower maternal education (11.2%), lesser birth spacing (80%), and higher birth order (7.5%) were other factors noted. Verbal autopsy questionnaire had a diagnostic accuracy of ≥95% in identifying major causes of death (kappa value 0.8–1.0). Conclusion Current state verbal autopsy tool is valid in identifying causes of death.