A Qualitative Assessment of Community Acceptability and Its Determinants in the Implementation of Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling in Children in Quelimane City, Mozambique

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2023 Apr 10:tpmd220343. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0343. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe Countrywide Mortality Surveillance for Action project aims to implement a child mortality surveillance program through strengthening vital registration event reporting (pregnancy, birth, and death) and investigating causes of death (CODs) based on verbal autopsies. In Quelimane (central Mozambique), Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) procedures were added to fine-tune the COD approaches. Before the implementation of MITS, an evaluation of the acceptability and ethical considerations of child mortality surveillance was considered fundamental. A socio-anthropological study was conducted in Quelimane, using observations, informal conversations, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with healthcare providers, nharrubes (traditional authorities who handle bodies before the funeral), community and religious leaders, and traditional birth attendants to understand the locally relevant potential facilitators and barriers to the acceptability of MITS. Audio materials were transcribed, systematically coded, and analyzed using NVIVO12®. The desire to know the COD, intention to discharge the elders from accusations of witchcraft, involvement of leaders in disseminating project information, and provision of transport for bodies back to the community constitute potential facilitators for the acceptability of MITS implementation. In contrast, poor community mobil...
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research