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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Jerry E. Vincent, OD MPH¹, Cynthia Maung, MBBS², Tin Maung Latt, BS², and Lin Yone³. (1) Health Unit, International Rescue Committee, PO Box 213, CMU Post Office, Chiang Mai, 50202, Thailand, +66 53 806 735, jvincent@loxinfo.co.th, (2) Mae Tao Clinic, PO Box 67, Mae Sot, 63110, Thailand, (3) Community Health Assessment Project, PO box 67, Mae Tao Clinic, Mae Sot, 63110, Thailand

We conducted cross-sectional, retrospective mortality surveys in five remote, ethnic areas of Burma. Assessed were Karen and Karenni ethnic areas in Eastern Burma, Palaung and Kachin ethnic areas in Northern Burma and an Arakan ethnic area in Western Burma. Little or no population-based health data are available for any of these areas and none of the surveyed areas are served by the national health services.

A proportionate to the population cluster sampling methodology was used in all surveys. Sample sizes varied from 1,418-2,694. A standardized questionnaire that was pre-tested and revised over several months was used to collect household demographic information including births and deaths since a locally recognizable holiday or religious date. Recall was for most or all of the year 2004 and the number of recall days varied from 290 to 433.

Data is presented as Crude Mortality Rates per 1,000 persons per year. The 95% Confidence Intervals, (in parenthesis) were adjusted for cluster sampling methodology.

Karen 12.6 (5.7-19.5) Karenni 4.4 (1.1-7.7) Palaung 33.2 (13.0-50.3) Kachin 54.4 (16.6-92.2) Arakan 20.7 (8.2-32.0)

We compare these results to regional data and to international standards. We will discuss what factors may cause these rates to vary.

Learning Objectives:

• Learner will be able to describe mortality trends in selected areas of rural, ethnic Burma

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation