title: Death certification practice in Qatar.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the knowledge and practice of death certification among physicians in Qatar.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Knowledge and practice of death certification were assessed in a group of 317 physicians, selected at random, using a self-administered questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 22.7% of physicians had received formal training in death certification. More than 60% of physicians knew which healthcare workers were entitled to complete the cause of death section of the form, and 37% of physicians were aware of the conditions for referral to a forensic physician. The most common difficulties facing physicians, when completing death certification forms, were dealing with complicated cases (47.3%), lack of training (43.5%) and failure to understand the terms used in the form (39.6%). Only 21.5% of physicians identified the cause of death correctly in the case scenario; 53.2% of physicians made major errors and 62.8% made minor errors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lack of training appears to play a major role in the poor completion of death certification forms. Educational/administrative interventions and training activities are needed.
authors.affiliation: Health Information Section, Public Health Department, Supreme Council of Health, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: dr.noura-kkk@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Al-Kubaisi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Said
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Horeesh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011780:Qatar; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Case scenario; Death certification; Errors in death certificate; Knowledge; Mortality data