Adaptation of a probabilistic method (InterVA) of verbal autopsy to improve the interpretation of cause of stillbirth and neonatal death in Malawi, Nepal, and Zimbabwe

Table 2 Characteristics of the three studies used as data sources.

	Malawi	Nepal	Zimbabwe
Neonatal mortality rate	27/1000[30].	33/1000[31]	24/1000[32]
Study period	1 year	3 years	2 years
Number of VA questionnaires	169	385	180
Questionnaire	Mixed open and closed questions	Mixed open and closed questions	Standard WHO tool incorporating open and closed questions (24)
Interviewers	5 lay Malawian interviewers with secondary education	Lay local field coordinators	45 midwife enumerators
Physician review	2 experienced local pediatricians Predefined algorithm 3 causes of death	3 experienced local pediatricians Predefined algorithm 1 cause of death	3 experienced local physicians International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) 1 cause of death

ISSN: 1478-7954