Changes in Autopsy Rate in Japanese University Hospitals During the Past 34 Years

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to reveal the declining status of autopsy rate in Japanese university hospitals during the last 34-year period, to draw attention to the importance of autopsy.
Methods: Autopsy related data from 1979 to 2012 in all Japanese university hospitals were collected and analyzed on annual basis under categories of Juntendo University Hospital, Japanese university hospitals, public university hospitals and private university hospitals separately. Trends of changes in autopsy rate from 1979 to 2012 were plotted and compared between the groups.
Results: The autopsy rate in Juntendo University Hospital was maintained at the levels of 50-60% until 1986, then started to decline steadily and reached to 9.7% in 2012. Regression coefficient of the autopsy rate during the 34-year period was -0.0173. The mean autopsy rate of all university hospitals in Japan was maintained at 45% until 1983, then started declining steadily and reached to 6.8% in 2012. Of these hospitals, the mean autopsy rate in public hospitals was still kept at 45% in 1985 but continued declining to 9.3% in 2012, while in private hospitals it reached to 45% in 1983 and kept declining to only 5.6% in 2012.
Conclusion: The steady decline of the autopsy rate in university hospitals in Japan began early 1980’; this trend still continues, and the autopsy rate declined to 6.8% in 2012. We should work to prevent the decline of autopsy rate furthermore in Japanese university hospitals.