Quality of reporting death certificates during COVID-19 in All India Institute of Medical Sciences of central India.

Background: Death certificates provide a measure of the relative contributions of different diseases to mortality, which is vital for public health surveillance and for facilitating short-term and long-term plans by the health authorities. Reliable information on deaths and their causes are also vital for decision-makers to monitor the trends of the overall burden of diseases. Objectives: To evaluate the quality of death certificates reporting over the study period. Methodology: This study is a retrospective, observational, descriptive type of study. All the variables in the Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) form IV were taken for data collection in an excel sheet. Data were collected from all the death certificates issued by various inpatient areas of the hospital from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Results: A total of 1854 death certificates were issued by the hospital during the study period. Compliance for the patient's name, age, sex, and date of death reached 100%. However, the compliance rates for other variables varied significantly, ranging from 7.5% to 99.19%. The lowest compliance rate of 7.5% was noted for the variable 'onset of symptoms to death' in the cause of death. Conclusions: Our study's findings emphasize the need for enhanced documentation practices to ensure the accuracy and completeness of death certificates. By identifying the factors that contribute to incomplete documentation and implementing targeted strategies, we can improve the quality of data for medical and public health research, ultimately leading to better patient care and outcomes.