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A quarter century of decline of autopsies in the Netherlands

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Abstract

Objective

Autopsy rates have been declining worldwide. The present study reports the outcome of a retrospective analysis of all non-forensic autopsies in the Netherlands over a course of 25 years, and compares these with the most recent Dutch study.

Method

Retrospectively, 25 years of data on clinical autopsies from the Nationwide Network and Registry of Histo- and Cytopathology in the Netherlands (PALGA) was paired with the mortality registry (Statistics Netherlands).

Results

The crude prevalence of autopsies declined from 7.07% in 1991 to 2.73% in 2015. After adjusting for age at death, there was no difference in autopsy rate between males and females. An increasing age significantly decreased the autopsy rate.

Conclusion

In the Netherlands, clinical autopsies have been declining over the last quarter century. Age at death, but not sex, was associated with the autopsy rate. These different results stress the importance of correct collection and analysis methods of data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Bartholomeus G. H. Latten, Bela Kubat & Axel zur Hausen

  2. Donders Center of Medical Neurosciences, Radboud University, Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Lucy I. H. Overbeek

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Leo J. Schouten

Authors
  1. Bartholomeus G. H. Latten
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  2. Lucy I. H. Overbeek
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  3. Bela Kubat
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  4. Axel zur Hausen
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  5. Leo J. Schouten
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Correspondence to Bartholomeus G. H. Latten.

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Latten, B.G.H., Overbeek, L.I.H., Kubat, B. et al. A quarter century of decline of autopsies in the Netherlands. Eur J Epidemiol 34, 1171–1174 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-019-00572-9

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