Consideraciones médico legales para el llenado del formulario de defunción general en el Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: The death certificate is considered a medical-legal document, with legal, administrative and epidemiological approach; it has the objective of detailing the causes of mortality that occur in a country, therefore, through this document, local and sectorial governments, make social, political and economic decisions aimed at the health service in a country. Objective: To determine the legal medical considerations for filling out the general death form in Ecuador, by means of a systematic bibliographic and documentary review, for the correct filling out of the form by medical personnel. Methodology: Descriptive study focused on a systematic bibliographic and documentary review of different scientific articles of evidence-based medicine, from multiple digital repositories of high impact in health (Pubmed, Cochrane, Scielo, Scopus,), and literature on legal and forensic medicine. Conclusion: Filling out the general death form is a symbolic, clinical, and legal act in all aspects, through which complete and accurate information is provided on the death of an individual, in turn providing quality epidemiological information to health analysts in the country, to then apply measures in public health policies, with the aim of reducing mortality at the national level.