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Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 Apr 20. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

Department of Population Health, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.

Infectious diseases are a leading cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite effective treatments. To study the sociocultural and health system barriers to care, we conducted a qualitative social autopsy study of patients who died from febrile illness in northern Tanzania. From December 2016 through July 2017, we conducted in-depth interviews in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions with a purposive sample of 20 family members of patients who had died at two regional referral hospitals. Read More

Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2019 Dec;40(4):347-350

Department of Forensic Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey.

The autopsy maintains its significance both forensically and medically despite enormous developments in antemortem and postmortem diagnostic methods. The present study probes the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of religious officials in our city toward autopsy and make an evaluation of how religion and culture affect those factors.The study consists of 219 Imams (male) and 69 Quran instructors (female) who serve in urban and rural regions of Kahramanmaras and approved informed consent forms. Read More

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2019 Aug 28;19(1):314. Epub 2019 Aug 28.

National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, ICMR, Mumbai, India.

Background: A disproportionately high proportion of maternal deaths (99 percent) in the world occur in low and middle income countries, of which 90 percent is contributed by Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This study uses the effective "Three Delays" model to assess the socio-cultural barriers associated with maternal mortality in West Bengal, India.

Methods: It was a retrospective mixed methods study, which used facility-based as well as community-based approaches to explore factors associated with maternal deaths. Read More

Int J Legal Med 2020 May 15;134(3):1203-1212. Epub 2019 Aug 15.

Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital, Goethe University, Kennedyallee 104, 60596, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Background: (Brain) death, willingness of organ donation and autopsy are relevant questions of life and death. Religious beliefs are expected to have a significant influence on individual attitudes.

Methods: People with an active relationship to a religion were surveyed about brain death, organ transplantation and autopsy using an anonymous questionnaire. Read More

Med Leg J 2019 Sep 3;87(3):156-158. Epub 2019 Jul 3.

Forensic Medicine Department, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Crimes against a person's physical integrity are a serious and consequential felony in the Islamic criminal law. A war veteran and victim of chemical warfare deceased at the age of 69 was referred to Kahrizak Legal Medicine Center, Tehran, Iran for autopsy. According to Iranian law, deceased war veterans should undergo autopsy to have the potential damage to their organs due to chemical warfare identified, so that due compensation can be awarded to their heirs. Read More

PLoS One 2019 22;14(2):e0201424. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

Heritages, Transmissions, Inheritances (PaTHs) Institute & Department of Physics, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.

The reliquary of Jacques de Vitry, a prominent clergyman and theologian in the early 13th century, has experienced several transfers over the last centuries, which seriously question the attribution of the remains to the late Cardinal. Uncertainty about the year of his birth poses an additional question regarding his age at death in 1240. The reliquary, located in the Saint Marie d'Oigines church, Belgium, was reopened in 2015 for an interdisciplinary study around his relics as well as the Treasure of Oignies, a remarkable cultural heritage notably built from Jacques de Vitry's donation. Read More

Med Hypotheses 2019 Jan 30;122:180-183. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

New Mexico Health Enhancement and Marathon Clinics Research Foundation, 361 Big Horn Ridge Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque, NM, USA.

Many world-renowned scientists and artists had autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We suggest that the French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) also had ASD. As a boy, he demonstrated his mastery of language, mathematics and science. Read More

PLoS One 2018 9;13(8):e0202023. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.

Background: Perinatal and paediatric autopsy rates are at historically low levels with declining uptake due to dislike of the invasiveness of the procedure, and religious objections particularly amongst Muslim and Jewish parents. Less invasive methods of autopsy including imaging with and without tissue sampling have been shown to be feasible alternatives. We sought to investigate attitudes including religious permissibility and potential uptake amongst members of the Muslim and Jewish communities in the United Kingdom. Read More

Br J Radiol 2018 Nov 14;91(1091):20180295. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

1 Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK.

Objective:: People's views regarding autopsy vary according to their cultural and religious beliefs. This paper aims to determine the opinions towards this procedure among Muslims resident in Libya and Muslims and non-Muslims resident in the UK. Our long-term goal is to improve autopsy rates; whether conventional or through the use of post-mortem imaging. Read More

Transplant Proc 2018 Mar;50(2):312-315

Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante ("International Collaborative Donor Project"), Murcia, Spain; Department of Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Transplant Unit, Surgery Service, IMIB-Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.

Background: The Puerto Rican population represents one of the largest immigration groups in Florida, and this has an impact on the organ transplant donation process. Our aim was to analyze attitudes toward organ donation among Puerto Ricans who currently reside in the state of Florida (USA).

Methods: The population screened consisted of individuals >15 years old, who were born in Puerto Rico, living in Florida, and awaiting organs for transplant. Read More

Arch Dis Child 2018 06 8;103(6):572-578. Epub 2018 Feb 8.

Genetics and Genomic Medicine, The UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.

Objective: To assess health professionals' and coroners' attitudes towards non-minimally and minimally invasive autopsy in the perinatal and paediatric setting.

Methods: A qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Read More

Anaesthesist 2018 02 11;67(2):118-125. Epub 2017 Dec 11.

Institut für Medizinische Soziologie und Rehabilitationswissenschaft, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland.

Background: The German post-mortem organ donation rate has dropped by one third since 2010. Furthermore, 958 patients died in 2015 in Germany while waiting for an organ. To decrease organ shortage, an amendment of the transplantation law was established in 2012. Read More

Med J Malaysia 2017 10;72(5):278-281

International Medical Center, Department of Medical Ethics, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: The ever-increasing technological advances of Western medicine have created new ethical issues awaiting answers and response. The use of genetic therapy, organ transplant, milk-banking, end-of-life care and euthanasia are of paramount importance to the medical students and need to be addressed.

Methods: A series of searches were conducted of Medline databases published in English between January 2000 and January 2017 with the following keywords: medical ethics, syllabus, Islam, jurisprudence. Read More

J Relig Health 2018 Apr;57(2):649-661

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, 13400 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ, 85259, USA.

Death is defined in the Quran with a single criterion of irreversible separation of the ruh (soul) from the body. The Quran is a revelation from God to man, and the primary source of Islamic knowledge. The secular concept of death by neurological criteria, or brain death, is at odds with the Quranic definition of death. Read More

Palliat Support Care 2017 10;15(5):609-622

Division of Hematology,Mayo Clinic,Rochester,Minnesota.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the religious/spiritual beliefs of followers of the five major world religions about frequently encountered medical situations at the end of life (EoL).

Method: This was a systematic review of observational studies on the religious aspects of commonly encountered EoL situations. The databases used for retrieving studies were: Ovid MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid PsycINFO, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus. Read More

Pathologe 2017 Sep;38(5):396-401

Institut für Geschichte, Theorie und Ethik der Medizin, Uniklinik der RWTH Aachen, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Deutschland.

Background: Autopsy quotas in Germany are persistently low. By way of providing an explanation, the (ethical) reservations of the general population against autopsies are presented.

Objective: Normative assessment of clinical autopsies, elaboration of ethically relevant arguments for and against autopsies and review of the suspected reservations of the general population. Read More

Transpl Int 2017 Oct 17;30(10):1020-1031. Epub 2017 Jul 17.

Transplant Unit, Surgery Service, IMIB - Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain.

The Latin American (LA) population resident in the USA is a growing subgroup of the population. To find out the structure of attitude towards organ donation in the LA population resident in Florida (USA). A sample was taken of LA residents in Florida, randomized and stratified by nationality, age and sex (n = 1524). Read More

BJOG 2018 Jan 21;125(2):172-181. Epub 2017 Mar 21.

UCL Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.

Background: Postmortem examination is the single most useful investigation in providing information to parents about why their baby or child died. Despite this, uptake remains well below the recommended 75%.

Objective: To address the question 'what are the barriers and motivators to perinatal, prenatal and paediatric PM examination?'

Search Strategy: Key databases including Pubmed and CINAHL; Cochrane library, websites of relevant patient organisations, hand search of key journals, first and last authors and references. Read More

PLoS One 2016 28;11(12):e0167988. Epub 2016 Dec 28.

University of Toulouse, French National Center for Scientific Research, UMR 5288, Toulouse, France.

The evolution of funeral practices from the Middle Ages through the Modern era in Europe is generally seen as a process of secularization. The study, through imaging and autopsy, of two mummies, five lead urns containing hearts, and more than six hundred skeletons of nobles and clergymen from a Renaissance convent in Brittany has led us to reject this view. In addition to exceptional embalming, we observed instances in which hearts alone had been extracted, a phenomenon that had never before been described, and brains alone as well, and instances in which each spouse's heart had been placed on the other's coffin. Read More

Transplant Proc 2016 Sep;48(7):2482-2484

Department of Nursing, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.

Background: Nursing students, as future professionals, have an enormous impact on the opinion of the rest of the population on topics of organ donation and transplantation (ODT). The objective of this study was to analyze the attitudes of nursing students at the University of Bialystok toward ODT, and to determine the factors that affect ithemt.

Methods: Academic year 2011-2012. Read More

Lancet 2016 Aug;388(10044):559

School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, Italy.

Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2016 Jun;37(2):127-31

From the *Department of Dammam Forensic and Legal Medicine Centre, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; and †Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Beni Suef University, Egypt.

This article is a review, from a Saudi Arabian perspective, of selected historical Arabic books and recent medicolegal journal articles on 4 current controversial issues: medical ethics, forensic autopsies, end-of-life decisions, and genetic profiling. This article demonstrates the flexibility of the Islamic medical jurisprudence to accommodate medicolegal issues. Read More

Orv Hetil 2016 Apr;157(14):554-7

SK-93 008 Csilizradvány 284., Szlovákia.

Breast Cancer Res Treat 2016 Jan 24;155(1):159-64. Epub 2015 Dec 24.

Division of Hematology/Oncology, Magee-Womens Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.

Rapid autopsy (RA) offers a unique opportunity to obtain a large amount of metastatic tissue at death in order to deepen existing understanding of cancer evolution and heterogeneity. In breast cancer, understanding metastasis is particularly valuable given that treatment regimens are based on the traditional hormone and HER2 receptor status as well as evolving genomic data of the primary tumor. We aimed to elucidate the attitudes and interests of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) toward RA, and to identify associated demographic or disease characteristics that may influence patient attitudes and interest. Read More

Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2016 Mar;37(1):29-31

From the Lékařská Fakulta Masarykovy Univerzity, Brno, Czech Republic.

Religious beliefs and cultures have influenced treatment of dead bodies in different ways by nations throughout history, and attitudes toward the deceased individuals have changed across time and so has the role and mechanism of autopsy. Islam has been a part of Europe for a long time; therefore, we would like to emphasize the important issues for Muslims and their families regarding death, autopsy, and funeral and to describe international perspectives of Muslim autopsies. Muslims have expressed their views on autopsy publically and internationally, and there have been claims of violation of the deceased, delays in burial, and nonconsideration of their religious beliefs. Read More

Med Anthropol 2016 Jul-Aug;35(4):322-37. Epub 2015 Oct 12.

a Center for Modern Indian Studies and Institute for Social Anthropology at Goettingen University, Germany & Department of Anthropology and Department of Religion, Williams College , Williamstown , Massachusetts.

This essay discusses the Indian government's implementation of maternal death reviews (MDR) across the country in response to a global WHO strategy called 'Beyond the Numbers.' India's MDR process attempts to better count and assess maternal deaths across the country, yet considerable challenges remain. Existing studies of the MDR process in India still reveal systemic failures including poor quality of obstetric care, as well as omissions or delays of care that are covered up or denied. Read More

J Forensic Leg Med 2015 Nov 6;36:52-3. Epub 2015 Sep 6.

Forensic Medicine Division, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Fahd Hospital of the University, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address:

J Forensic Leg Med 2015 Aug 18;34:159-63. Epub 2015 Jun 18.

Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College & Hospital, Siruvachur, Perambalur District, 621113, Tamailnadu, India. Electronic address:

Background: Medico-legal autopsies are conducted as a part of necessary investigation in all unnatural deaths. In India, the awareness about medico-legal autopsies among the population is still at incipient stage. The procedure is largely stigmatised due to various myths and misconceptions. Read More

J Forensic Leg Med 2015 May 18;32:4-9. Epub 2015 Feb 18.

King Saud University, College of Medicine Forensic Unit, Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address:

Autopsies are performed in the majority of Arab, Muslim countries. Several of these countries face social challenges and others do not have well established academic programs to teach the science. In this article we intend to review the history and practice of the forensic part of autopsies in a few Arab, Muslim countries (Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Kuwait) and compare it with the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK), 2 countries where the practice of forensic science and Forensic pathology is well established. Read More

Transpl Int 2015 Apr 21;28(4):437-47. Epub 2015 Jan 21.

Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante ('International Collaborative Donor Project'), Murica, Spain; Regional Transplant Center, Consejería de Sanidad, Servicio Murciano de Salud, Murcia, Spain; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Surgery Service, Murcia Health Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain.

Unlabelled: The Latin American (LA) population has similarities with the Spanish population which makes its integration into Spanish society easier.

Objective: to analyze the attitude toward organ donation among Latin American citizens residing in Spain, to determine the psychosocial variables which affect this attitude, and to examine the correlation between donation rates of LA citizens in Spain and in their countries of origin. A random sample of LA residents in Spain was taken and stratified according to the respondent's nationality (n = 1. Read More

Cardiovasc Pathol 2014 Nov-Dec;23(6):344-50. Epub 2014 Jul 26.

Laboratory of Medical Ethics, University of Paris 5, 45 Saints Pères street, 75006 Paris, France. Electronic address:

We present here the results of our inter-disciplinary examination of the mummified heart of Blessed Anne-Madeleine Remuzat (1696-1730). This organ has been examined in the context of a canonization process. This analysis is related to important aspects of the early history of anatomy in Europe, that of "Holy autopsies", and to the relationship between anatomical investigations, Catholic theology, and religious/medical customs. Read More

Prenat Diagn 2014 Nov 5;34(11):1106-10. Epub 2014 Jul 5.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium.

Objective: To determine parental acceptance of minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) involving postmortem imaging and organ tissue sampling compared with conventional autopsy and to compare the acceptability of percutaneous versus laparoscopic-guided biopsy.

Methods: Following termination of pregnancy parents were offered the option of traditional autopsy and subsequently interviewed about their acceptance of MIA. The McNemar test for paired samples was used to assess the difference in acceptance of MIA and conventional autopsy. Read More

Ann Fr Anesth Reanim 2014 May 14;33(5):e99-e100. Epub 2014 May 14.

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital of Toulouse, Équipe d'accueil "Modélisation de l'agression tissulaire et nociceptive", University Paul-Sabatier, hôpital Purpan, place du Dr-Baylac, 31000 Toulouse, France. Electronic address:

Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2014 Sep 28;10(3):469-71. Epub 2014 Feb 28.

Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Bari, P.zza G. Cesare, 11, 70124, Bari, Italy,

J Forensic Leg Med 2014 Mar 20;23:80-3. Epub 2014 Feb 20.

Forensic Medicine Center in Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority, Egypt.

Autopsy, or post-mortem examination, is the dissection of a dead body. It is performed for many reasons. Attitudes toward dead bodies vary with religious beliefs and cultural and geographical backgrounds. Read More

Cir Esp 2014 Jun-Jul;92(6):393-403. Epub 2014 Feb 22.

Unidad de Trasplantes, Servicio de Cirugía, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia, España; Departamento de Cirugía, Ginecología y Pediatría, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, España.

Introduction: Hospital personnel are a group which has an influence on the opinion of the rest of the population about healthcare matters. Any unfavorable attitude of this group would be an obstacle to an increase in organ donation.

Objective: To analyze the attitude of hospital workers toward the donation of one's own organs in Spanish and Latin American hospitals and to determine the factors affecting this attitude. Read More

Nefrologia 2013 ;33(5):699-708

Introduction: Non-medical staff members in hospitals are highly credible at population level, and are a source of opinion even though they do not have sufficient medical training.

Objectives: To analyse the attitudes of non-medical professionals of Spanish and Latin American hospitals towards organ donation and identify the factors that influence these attitudes.

Material And Method: Through the "Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante" (International Collaborative Donor Project), a stratified random sample was selected from non-medical services of eleven hospitals: 3 Spanish (n=277), 5 Mexican (n=632), 2 Cuban (n=42) and 1 Costa Rican (n=101). Read More

Harefuah 2013 Jun;152(6):348-51, 368

Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.

Forensic medicine is the application of science to the medical disciplines to answer questions related to criminal law. Most forensic practitioners are physicians with expertise in pathology. In the field of post mortem surgeries, the extensive area of the encounter between the law and medicine is compLicated. Read More

BMC Palliat Care 2013 Mar 26;12:14. Epub 2013 Mar 26.

Addis Ababa Mortality Surveillance Program, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Dying at home is highly prevalent in Africa partly due to lack of accessibility of modern health services. In turn, limited infrastructure and health care deliveries in Africa complicate access to health services. A weak infrastructure and limited health facilities with lower quality in Ethiopia resulted poor health service utilization and coverage, high morbidity and mortality rates. Read More

Prenat Diagn 2013 Apr 4;33(4):307-12. Epub 2013 Mar 4.

Department of Paediatric Pathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.

Background: Perinatal autopsy provides essential clinical information, including cause of death; yet, autopsy rates have steadily declined because of parental refusal. Technology now enables less invasive alternatives to traditional autopsy and may increase the acceptability of post-mortem examination.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relative acceptability among healthcare professionals of a minimally invasive autopsy (MIA; magnetic resonance imaging and laparoscopic-guided tissue sampling), compared with standard autopsy. Read More

J Relig Health 2013 Dec;52(4):1346-55

Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, University Hospital (AP-HP, UVSQ), 104 R. Poincaré Boulevard, 92380, Garches, France,

Facing modern developments of medicine and biomedical researches, religious communities are a strong source of ethics principles and orientations. Human dignity does not disappear after life, in a context of biomedical research on cadavers. Moral, political, social and scientific aspects of research on human cadavers (mainly autopsies) have been widely discussed in biomedical publications, whereas the religious ones (which could be predominant for some) have rarely been analyzed and presented. Read More

Eur J Epidemiol 2012 Jul 27;27(7):577-80. Epub 2012 Jun 27.

Hist Psychiatry 2012 Mar;23(89 Pt 1):104-16

Department of History, Park Campus, University of Northampton, Boughton Green Road, Northampton NN27HS, UK.

This article argues that death from insanity raised serious questions for the medical profession and for those who promoted the public asylum movement in the nineteenth century. While the medical emphasis on the somatic origins of insanity was increasingly accepted, limited observable signs of disease in the brain at post-mortem made it difficult to explain cause of death. This posed problems for a growing county asylum movement which was justified on the basis that insanity was a treatable disease and thus mortality rates would naturally decline. Read More