title: Autopsy acceptance rate and reasons for decline in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the autopsy acceptance rate and reasons for decline at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  The next of kin of patients who died in a combined infectious diseases and gastro-enterology ward of Mulago Hospital were approached to answer a questionnaire concerning characteristics of their deceased relative. During the interview their consent was asked to perform a complete autopsy. If autopsy was declined, the next of kin were asked to provide their reason for the decline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Permission to perform an autopsy was requested in 158 (54%) of the 290 deaths that occurred during the study period. In 60 (38%) cases autopsy was accepted. Fifty-nine autopsies were performed. For 82% of refusals a reason was listed; mainly 'not wanting to delay the burial' (58%), 'no use to know the cause of death' (16%) and 'being satisfied with the clinical cause of death' (10%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The autopsy rate achieved under study conditions was 38% compared to rates of 5% in Mulago Hospital over the past decade. Timely request and rapid performance of autopsies appear to be important determinants of autopsy acceptance. A motivated team of pathologists and clinicians is required to increase autopsy acceptance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Janneke A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lukande
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kateregga
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mayanja-Kizza
authors.forename: Yukari C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Manabe
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colebunders
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002423:Cause of Death; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda