Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 86 | Published: 11 Oct 2026
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Zambia, School of Public Health, Lusaka, Zambia, 2Zambia National Public Health Institute, Surveillance and Disease Intelligence Cluster, Lusaka, Zambia, 3Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, 4World Health Organization, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Country Office, Lusaka, Zambia, 5Zambia National Public Health Institute, Emergency Preparedness and Response Cluster, Lusaka, Zambia
&Corresponding author: Daliso Ngulube, Zambia National Public Health Institute, Surveillance and Disease Intelligence Cluster, Lusaka, Zambia, Email: dariosteckly@gmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0882-4461
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 11 Oct 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, cause of death, verbal autopsy, InterVA-5, Zambia
©Daliso Ngulube et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Daliso Ngulube et al., The hidden burden of cardiovascular disease mortality among adult community deaths in Lusaka, Zambia: Findings from a verbal autopsy study. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):86. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0086
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality worldwide and an increasing public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. In Zambia, many deaths occur outside health facilities and are not medically certified, limiting understanding of the true burden of CVD mortality. This study assessed the burden of CVD mortality and factors associated with CVD-attributed deaths among adult community deaths undergoing verbal autopsy in Lusaka.
We conducted a cross-sectional study using verbal autopsy data for adults aged ≥18 years recorded at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, between January and November 2024. Causes of death were assigned using the InterVA-5 algorithm. The outcome variable was CVD death (stroke, acute cardiac disease, or unspecified cardiac disease). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with CVD mortality and estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Among 2,005 adult community deaths analyzed, 850 (42.4%) were attributed to CVDs. The median age at death was 52 years (IQR: 38–71). Increasing age was associated with higher odds of CVD mortality (AOR=1.01; 95% CI: 1.01–1.02). Individuals with a history of hypertension (AOR=4.90; 95% CI: 3.78–6.37) and heart disease (AOR=3.58; 95% CI: 2.28–5.76) had significantly higher odds of CVD death. Tobacco smoking was also associated with increased odds of CVD mortality (AOR=1.41; 95% CI: 1.06–1.87).
CVDs accounted for more than two-fifths of adult community deaths in Lusaka, highlighting a substantial and often overlooked burden of mortality occurring outside health facilities. Older age, hypertension, heart disease, and tobacco smoking were significant predictors of CVD mortality. Strengthening community-based screening, prevention, and management of cardiovascular risk factors may reduce premature deaths and support Zambia’s efforts to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
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