Discuss the importance of reporting births and deaths. BIRTHS AND DEATHS All bir

Question

Discuss the importance of reporting births and deaths.

BIRTHS AND DEATHS All births and deaths are reportable by statute. Births occurring outside of a healthcare facility should be reported by the legally qualified physician in attendance at a delivery or, in the event of the absence of a physician, by the regis- tered nurse or other attendant. The physician who pronounces death must sign the death certificate. Statutes requiring the reporting of births and deaths are necessary to maintain accurate census records. Suspicious Deaths Greater than a state's interest in the recording of all births and deaths is the state's desire to review suspicious deaths that may be the result of some form of criminal activity. Unnatural deaths must be referred to the medical examiner for review. Such cases include violent deaths, deaths caused by unlawful acts or criminal neglect, and deaths that may be considered suspicious or unusual. The medical exam- iner may conduct an investigation as to the cause of death through an autopsy and report his findings to the police department or prosecutor who may have been assigned to the case. The purpose of a medical examiner's investigation is to determine the actual cause of death and thereby provide assistance for any further criminal investigation that may be considered necessary. If the medical examiner determines the death was due to an intentional act, he would be called as a witness to testify as to his findings if a trial ensues.

Explanation / Answer

Importance of Reporting births and deaths is follows:

A birth certificate is a basic legal document that gives identity to a child, and automatically bestows a number of rights such as the right to health care, nationality, schooling, passport, property ownership, voting, formal employment, or access to banking services.

A death certificate ensures their right to inherit property, to access business and financial entitlements, and to claim any available insurance benefits. The cause of death data from civil registration systems are vital for pinpointing the diseases and injuries that are cutting lives short and for planning preventive services to avoid premature mortality. Cause of death data are also useful to inform governments about outbreaks of fatal disease.

Registration is also vital for national planning. The civil registration records of births and deaths are necessary for countries to compile accurate, complete and timely vital statistics, which, along with population censuses, are central to estimating population size.

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