Health and human rights in eastern Myanmar prior to political transition: a population-based assessment using multistaged household cluster sampling

BMC International Health and Human Rights

Adam K Richards⁶  Thomas Lee⁶  Eh Kalu Shwe Oo⁴  Daniel Reh⁷  Cynthia Maung¹  Mahn Mahn⁵  Aye Lwin⁸  Sai Laeng²  Saw Nay Htoo⁸  Linda S Smith⁶  Jade Benjamin-Chung³  Parveen K Parmar⁶ 

[1] Mae Tao Clinic, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand;Shan State Development Foundation, Chiang Mai, Thailand;Division of Epidemiology, UC Berkeley School of Public Health, 101 Haviland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-7358, USA;Karen Department of Health and Welfare, PO box 189, Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand;Back Pack Health Worker Team, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand;Community Partners International, 2560 Ninth St., Suite 315b, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA;Karenni Mobile Health Committee, Mae Hong Son, Thailand;Burma Medical Association, PO Box 156, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand

关键词: Malaria;    Mortality;    Health;    Human Rights;    Myanmar;    Burma;   

Others  :  854993
DOI  :  10.1186/1472-698X-14-15

 received in 2013-10-14, accepted in 2014-04-25,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Myanmar/Burma has received increased development and humanitarian assistance since the election in November 2010. Monitoring the impact of foreign assistance and economic development on health and human rights requires knowledge of pre-election conditions.

Methods

From October 2008-January 2009, community-based organizations conducted household surveys using three-stage cluster sampling in Shan, Kayin, Bago, Kayah, Mon and Tanintharyi areas of Myanmar. Data was collected from 5,592 heads of household on household demographics, reproductive health, diarrhea, births, deaths, malaria, and acute malnutrition of children 6–59 months and women aged 15–49 years. A human rights focused survey module evaluated human rights violations (HRVs) experienced by household members during the previous year.

Results

Estimated infant and under-five rates were 77 (95% CI 56 to 98) and 139 (95% CI 107 to 171) deaths per 1,000 live births; and the crude mortality rate was 13 (95% CI 11 to 15) deaths per thousand persons. The leading respondent-reported cause of death was malaria, followed by acute respiratory infection and diarrhea, causing 21.2% (95% CI 16.5 to 25.8), 16.6% (95% CI 11.8 to 21.4), and 12.3% (95% CI 8.7 to 15.8), respectively. Over a third of households suffered at least one human rights violation in the preceding year (36.2%; 30.7 to 41.7). Household exposure to forced labor increased risk of death among infants (rate ratio (RR) = 2.2; 95% CI 1.1 to 4.4) and children under five (RR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 3.6). The proportion of children suffering from moderate to severe acute malnutrition was higher among households that were displaced (prevalence ratio (PR) = 3.3; 95% CI 1.9 to 5.6).

Conclusions

Prior to the 2010 election, populations of eastern Myanmar experienced high rates of disease and death and high rates of HRVs. These population-based data provide a baseline that can be used to monitor national and international efforts to improve the health and human rights situation in the region.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Parmar et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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