Cause-of-Death Methods

Expert panel prevention recommendations were consensus opinions rather than proof that a death was preventable. DeCoDe panels assigned causes of death using clinical, verbal autopsy, microbiology, histopathology, and other postmortem data. For eligible deaths identified within specified time windows, CHAMPS requested consent for minimally invasive tissue sampling. Samples were tested with cultures, PCR, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, HIV testing, tuberculosis testing, and malaria diagnostics. MITS sampled tissues and collected blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and multiple swabs.