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
    1. Definition and goals
    2. Methods
    3. Questions answered by rapid assessment
    4. Guidelines and manuals
    5. Problems and difficulties
15. Mortality - Indicators and their measurement
16. Mortality - Data sources
17. Mortality - Interpretation and action
18. Nutrition - Introduction and background
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

Methods

(go to Outline)

Rapid assessments may include data collection by:

• Visual inspection
• Interviews with key informants
  • Community leaders
  • Humanitarian aid workers
  • Health providers
  • Public health authorities
• Limited surveys using small semi-random or convenience samples
• Review of existing morbidity and mortality surveillance data
• Review of clinic logs or registers
• Collection of other existing data