The Covid-19 Pandemic

Effects on Civil Registration of Births and Deaths and on Availability and Utility of Vital Events Data

Bibliographic Data

ID11023683
AuthorsCarla Abouzahr (0000-0001-7421-7884, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Martin W Bratschi (0000-0003-0825-1587, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Emily Cercone (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Anushka Mangharam (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Don De Savigny (0000-0002-6903-4722, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Irina Dincu (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Anette Bayer Forsingdal (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Olga Joos (0000-0003-0335-4982, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Montasser Kamal (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Doris Ma Fat (0000-0002-6877-5799, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Gloria Mathenge (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Fatima Marinho (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Raj Gautam Mitra (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Jeff Montgomery (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), William Muhwava (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Remy Mwamba (0000-0001-6730-8884, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), James Mwanza (0000-0003-3703-8179, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Alvin T Onaka (Bloomberg Philanthropies), Alvin Onaka (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Tanja Brøndsted Sejersen (0000-0002-3057-967X, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Maletela Tuoane-Nkhasi (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Lynn Sferrazza (Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...), Philip Setel (0000-0002-9042-5699, Carla AbouZahr is with Vital Strategies/Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland. Martin W. Bratschi, Anushka Mangharam, Fatima Marinho, Raj Gautam Mitra, James Mwanza, and Philip Setel are with Vital Strategies, New York, NY. Emily Cercone and Olga Joos are with the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Inc, Atlanta, GA. Don de Savigny is with Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Irina Dincu and Anette Bayer...)
Year2021
Volume111
Issue6
Pages1123-1131
Publication date2021-06-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2021.306203
PMID33856881
OpenAlexW3152628640
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited11

The complex and evolving picture of COVID-19–related mortality highlights the need for data to guide the response. Yet many countries are struggling to maintain their data systems, including the civil registration system, which is the foundation for detailed and continuously available mortality statistics. We conducted a search of country and development agency Web sites and partner and media reports describing disruptions to the civil registration of births and deaths associated with COVID-19 related restrictions. We found considerable intercountry variation and grouped countries according to the level of disruption to birth and particularly death registration. Only a minority of the 66 countries were able to maintain service continuity during the COVID-19 restrictions. In the majority, a combination of legal and operational challenges resulted in declines in birth and death registration. Few countries established business continuity plans or developed strategies to deal with the backlog when restrictions are lifted. Civil registration systems and the vital statistics they generate must be strengthened as essential services during health emergencies and as core components of the response to COVID-19

Actuarial science · Agency (philosophy) · Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Disease · Geography · Infectious disease (medical specialty) · Pandemic · Sociology · Global Health Care Issues · Global Maternal and Child Health · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine

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