ArticleDiscover public health2026
A narrative qualitative study of maternal and perinatal death surveillance and patient referral practices among Traditional Birth Attendants in East Central Uganda.
Article in Discover public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) and referral systems are critical for improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. In rural Uganda, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) remain key community actors but are rarely formally integrated into MPDSR processes. Objective: To explore the roles, practices, and challenges of TBAs in MPDSR and referral processes in Mayuge District. Methods: A narrative qualitative study was conducted among 15 TBAs using in-depth interviews, observations, and document review of community and facility records related to maternal and perinatal deaths. Data were inductively coded and thematically analysed, with document review findings triangulated to enrich interpretation of reporting and referral practices. Results: TBAs contributed to maternal and perinatal death notification primarily through informal community networks, with frequent delays and limited engagement in formal MPDSR processes. Document review confirmed gaps in formal reporting and inconsistencies between community and facility records. TBAs rarely participated in structured death reviews due to exclusion, fear of blame, and limited system integration. Referral practices were adaptive and included referrals to health facilities, other TBAs, and traditional healers, shaped by logistical, cultural, and social factors. Conclusion: Traditional Birth Attendants in rural Uganda play an important but often informal role in the MPDSR process and referrals. Despite the lack of formal training and integration within the health systems, TBAs contribute significantly to maternal and perinatal death notifications and provide vital feedback on death reviews. Improving training on danger sign recognition, establishing structured community death notification pathways, and strengthening referral linkages between TBAs and health facilities could enhance MPDSR effectiveness while maintaining the national emphasis on skilled birth attendance.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.