Civil registration and vital statistics systems (CRVS) are fundamental to public health, providing the necessary data for accurate monitoring of vital events such as births and deaths. This special issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health, produced jointly with Unit of Information Systems and Digital Health of the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health of the Pan American Health Organization, focuses on the digital transformation of CRVS systems across the Americas, a process that holds immense potential for improving the accuracy, timeliness, and accessibility of crucial health statistics.
This special issue explores the multifaceted aspects of CRVS digitalization, including electronic death certification and interoperable mortality surveillance systems; innovations in data collection, coding, and analysis, such as the application of artificial intelligence; the importance of international standards like ICD-11 for data quality; the complexities of recording medico-legal deaths; and the critical roles of policy, governance, and community engagement in successful CRVS initiatives. The contributions in this issue offer valuable insights, case studies, and best practices for navigating the challenges and opportunities in this evolving field.
Additional manuscripts will be published as they become available.