The use of epidemiological tools in conflict-affected populations: open-access educational resources for policy-makers

Table of Contents

1. Welcome
2. Introduction: Epidemiology in crises
3. Ethical issues in data collection
4. Need for epidemiologic competence
5. Surveys - Introduction
6. Surveys - Description of sampling methods
7. Surveys - Sampling error, bias, accuracy, precision, & sample size
8. Surveys - Resources required for surveys
9. Surveys - Critiquing survey reports
10. Surveillance - When to do surveillance
11. Surveillance - Methods
12. Surveillance - Common problems
13. Programme data
14. Rapid assessment
15. Mortality - Indicators and their measurement
16. Mortality - Data sources
17. Mortality - Interpretation and action
18. Nutrition - Introduction and background
    1. Types of malnutrition
    2. Kwashiorkor and marasmus
    3. Malnutrition in adults
    4. Micronutrient deficiencies
19. Nutrition - Indicators and their measurement
20. Nutrition - Data sources
21. Nutrition - Interpretation and action
22. Health services
23. Vaccination programmes
24. Water supply, sanitation, and shelter
25. Violence
26. Presentation of results
27. Formulating conclusions and recommendations
28. Dissemination and action

Micronutrient deficiencies

(go to Outline)

Micronutrient deficiencies may also be important in an emergency-affected population. In fact, they can cause a large proportion of deaths in children and adults in populations after the acute phase of the emergency when infectious diseases and acute malnutrition are under relative control.

Relief food supplied to food-aid dependent population is almost always deficient in several micronutrients, including the three which cause the most common deficiencies, that is iron, vitamin A, and iodine. Many outbreaks of otherwise rare micronutrient deficiencies, such as scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), pellagra (niacin deficiency), beriberi (thiamine deficiency), and others, have occurred in such populations.