Cause of Death using Verbal Autopsy in HDSS Sleman Indonesia

Ifta Choiriyyah, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Prima Dhewi Ratrikaningtyas, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Rahayu Kia Sandi Cahaya Putri, HDSS Sleman Universitas Gadjah Mada
Septi Kurnia Lestari, HDSS Sleman Universitas Gadjah Mada

Mortality statistics is essential for health program/care planning, tracking progress, and anticipating new health challenges. Unfortunately in Indonesia, there are gaps in cause of deaths data due to lack of death registration and underdeveloped civil statistics system. This analysis used data from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in Sleman to describe causes of death from 2015 to 2021. HDSS Sleman annually tracks 5,147 households and records demographic events within the households - including deaths -, and determines cause of deaths through verbal autopsies using WHO Verbal Autopsy instrument. HDSS Sleman recorded 1,295 deaths were recorded between 2015 and 2021. The leading causes were circulatory system diseases, infectious and parasitic diseases, and cancers. Non-communicable diseases made up 67.4% of deaths, while infectious diseases accounted for 16.4%. The proportion of deaths from injuries was 6.1%, while maternal and neonatal deaths were rare. The share of deaths caused by circulatory system disease increased with age for both men and women, while the share of deaths caused by respiratory disorders showed increased a consistent increase with age only in men. During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021), the share of deaths from circulatory system diseases and undetermined causes increased, while the share of deaths from other causes remain unchanged.

Keywords: Mortality and Longevity, Population Ageing, Health and Morbidity

See extended abstract.