Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110660

Annette L. Fitzpatrick, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Building 29, Suite 310, 6200 NE 74th Street, Seattle, WA 98115, 206-685-7123, fitzpal@u.washington.edu, Meera Kansakar, MA, Siddhartha Vanasthali Campus, P. O. Box 19482, Kathmandu, Nepal, Dibya Kansakar, PhD, Ministry of Natural Resources, HMG/Nepal, P. O. Box 19482, Kathmandu, Nepal, and Pamela A. Elardo, PE, Living Earth Institute, 5706 43rd Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105.

Purpose: To evaluate mortality and prevalence of major diseases, including diarrhea, in two small rural villages located outside of Janakpur, Nepal, prior to an intervention for increasing access to clean water. Method: Interviews were conducted in the local language, Mithili, between September and November, 2004, requesting information on the health status of all household members. Data collected on self-reported deaths in the past five years, diarrhea in the past month, and specific diseases in the past six months were converted into rates. Results: A total of 335 households were surveyed representing 1781 individuals. Ninety-five deaths had occurred in the past five years, representing 5.1% of the population or 10 deaths per 1000 person-years. Almost half (49%) of deaths occurred in adults sixty years of age or older, 24% in adults age 18-59, 19% in children under age 6, and 7% in children age 6-11. Although 29% deaths were of unknown cause, 17% were reported to be related to respiratory symptoms/pneumonia, 14% to cardiovascular diseases (including sudden death), 10% to stomach problems/diarrhea, and 5% due to “witchcraft”. In the past month, diarrhea affected about twice as many children under age 6 (21%) compared to all other age groups (10-11%). Prevalence of other major conditions occurred as follows (cases per 1000 person-years of exposure): (a) diarrhea=245, (b) skin infections=195, (c) intestinal worms=135, (d) eye infections=104 (b) typhoid=20, (c) pneumonia=16, (d) jaundice=7, and (e) malaria=3. Conclusions: High mortality and morbidity in rural areas of Nepal indicate that efforts to improve public health are needed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Recognize conditions and symptoms associated with fecal-related and water-borne diseases common in developing countries.
• Evaluate categories of conditions when lay terms are provided to describe them.
• Calculate household survey data into standardized rates of disease prevalence.
• Evaluate mortality and morbidity rates for specific age groups in rural Nepal compared to other developed and developing countries.
• Identify strengths and limitations related to conducting disease prevalence studies using household surveys.
• Apply the methodology used here for self-sustaining community development of water supply and sanitation systems to similar settings.

Keywords: Disease Data, Developing Countries

Related Web page: www.living-earth.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.