Disaster epidemiology : Survey and surveillance

ABSTRACT

Survey and surveillance concerned with manmade disaster of chronic malnutrition. The "Food-health-chain" has been used as model for disaster assessment and intervention. Describes how this model can be used to 1. Better define what and when is a disaster, 2. Predict occurrence of this type of disaster and define early remedial or preventive measures and 3. Forsee changes in a chronic disaster situation to plan intensification or phase -out of response as appropriate. Contains a detailed chart portraying the elements affecting food production, its availability to the family, its impact on family nutritional status and health. Technical discussion of statistical methods for decision making in nutritional programs is discussed. Methods of surveillance tend to be stressed in all sectors of the food chain to give early warning of the onset of nutritional disasters and provides clear indications of the most crucial intervention points (AU)