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Published on 19 de junio de 2025 | http://doi.org/10.5867/medwave.2025.05.3060

Expert adaptation and validation of a verbal autopsy instrument in Chile using the Delphi method

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General characteristics of the VA instrument.
DimensionDescription
Type of instrumentSemi-structured interview with relatives of deceased women.
ObjectiveCollect information on the circumstances of the maternal death, the woman’s background, and factors related to maternal death.
Target populationRelatives or close friends of women who died from maternal causes
Interview phasesThe interview follows a structured order with closed and open questions, organized into thematic blocks.
BlocksBlock 1: sociodemographic data on the deceased woman.Block 2: obstetric and general health history.Block 3: first delay (factors associated with the identification of the problem and the decision to seek help by the deceased woman and/or her family).Block 4: second delay (factors associated with access to the health system).Block 5: Third delay (factors associated with obtaining quality treatment).Block 6: Perinatal information (data on the newborn if the woman gave birth).
Question formatClosed questions with answer options (multiple choice, time scale). Open questions to describe experiences and subjective perceptions.

VA, verbal autopsy.

Source: Prepared by the study research team.