Health facility records could provide additional information for estimates of maternal mortality, but researchers warn that the completeness and quality of current reporting must be systematically addressed first. Evaluating data from Tanzania, investigators propose four distinct measures to audit these health systems and ensure reported figures reflect reality.
Assessing Data Quality in Tanzania
Published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization on September 1, 2026, the study examines how to leverage local health facility data for broader epidemiological insights. “Health facility data could provide additional information for estimates of maternal mortality, but we first need to understand and improve the completeness and quality of the reporting,” says Claudia Hanson, Professor of Global Health Systems Research at the Department of Global Public Health.
To evaluate the integrity of the data, the research team developed four diagnostic measures. These criteria examine whether reported maternal mortality levels and geographical patterns are plausible, analyze the relationship between reported stillbirths and maternal deaths, check the distribution of causes of death, and evaluate the age distribution among women who died.
Applying these four measures to data sources in Tanzania revealed problems with quality and completeness across all four measures and the available data sources. Certain districts reported implausibly low maternal mortality, while other statistical patterns indicated that maternal deaths or stillbirths had not always been reported.
Future Integration and Independent Checks
Because reporting discrepancies vary widely by region, the researchers stress that these four assessment tools must be considered together and should not be regarded as a universal standard. Expected clinical patterns naturally shift between different countries and operational settings.
To overcome these hurdles, the study advocates for regular national assessments of data quality alongside independent checks of how completely health facilities report maternal deaths.
“If the quality of facility data improves, these data could eventually contribute to national and global estimates and give us additional information about maternal mortality,” Hanson says.
The research was conducted through the Countdown to 2030 initiative, working alongside government representatives and researchers in Tanzania and collaborating institutions. Funding was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with additional support for Hanson from the Swedish Research Council. The authors reported no competing interests.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific measures do researchers propose for data quality?
The researchers propose four measures that examine geographical and mortality level plausibility, the ratio between stillbirths and maternal deaths, the distribution of causes of death, and the age distribution of deceased women.
Who funded the research study on Tanzanian maternal mortality data?
The work was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with additional support for Claudia Hanson provided by the Swedish Research Council.
Which organizations collaborated on the Countdown to 2030 initiative?
The research was carried out within the Countdown to 2030 initiative alongside researchers and government representatives in Tanzania and other collaborating institutions.
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