How can the ethical conduct of verbal autopsies be enhanced? Lessons from Southeast Asia
Issued Date
2025-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
11287462
eISSN
15917398
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105015103432
Journal Title
Global Bioethics
Volume
36
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Global Bioethics Vol.36 No.1 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Htun N.S.N., Adhikari B., Phyo A.P., Perrone C., Phommasone K., Kabir N., Vanna M., Lubell Y., Peto T.J. How can the ethical conduct of verbal autopsies be enhanced? Lessons from Southeast Asia. Global Bioethics Vol.36 No.1 (2025). doi:10.1080/11287462.2025.2550810 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/112055
Title
How can the ethical conduct of verbal autopsies be enhanced? Lessons from Southeast Asia
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Verbal autopsy research is vital for understanding community mortality, informing health interventions and policies in low- and middle-income countries. However, overlooking the community perspectives on deaths can undermine the ethical conduct and effectiveness of such research. This study explored community-based concepts of death, interpretations, and coping mechanisms in five Southeast Asian countries, with this manuscript highlighting key findings from the body mapping exercise that revealed diverse cultural and religious understandings on death. Participants’ views ranged from seeing death as a cessation to life's struggles to an inevitable end, reflecting deep cultural and spiritual beliefs. Coping mechanisms, often grounded in religious practice and community support, played a crucial role in managing grief. The study also underscores the importance of addressing emotional well-being for both participants and researchers. Recommendations include integrating mental health support into research protocols and tailoring practices to local cultural contexts. These findings inform the design of more ethically grounded verbal autopsy tools and procedures that are sensitive to local beliefs and emotional dynamics, ultimately improving data quality and community trust.