Using Design Effects from Previous Cluster Surveys to Guide Sample Size Calculation in Emergency Settings

These are some controversial issues in disaster medicine outlined in some of the key questions about medical and public health preparedness, which are aimed at pinpointing and arriving at common definitions and understandings standard in the US disaster response. The purpose of this paper is not only to introduce these questions, but also to encourage debate and provide final answers to these terms and issues. The goal is to get beyond vague and poorly defined concepts, such as "preparedness" and "quarantine", and open a dialogue to effectively begin to define, analyze and measure key parameters that define our ability to respond to and mitigate disaster. crude mortality showed design effects below two; the median was 1.7. Re-analysis of mortality data from Kosovo and Badghis, Afghanistan, showed that given the same number of clusters, changing sample size had a relatively small effect on the precision obtained for the estimate of mortality. Conclusions: In the majority of surveys, assuming a design effect of 1.5 for acute malnutrition in children and 2 or less for crude mortality would produce a more efficient sample size. In addition, increasing the sample size in cluster surveys without increasing the number of clusters may not result in substantial improvements in precision. emergencies human-induced and represent a major challenge to the humanitarian community. This presentation first will define the three major epidemiological country models of CEs: (1) developing; (2) chronic; and (3) developed, and how they differ for planning purposes. Secondly, the exist-ing international response models: (1) multi-national; (2) unilateral; and (3) the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) models, in terms of their characteristics, objectives, and controversies will be discussed. Using a combination of quantitative and quali-tative methods, the International Medical Corps (IMC) will perform an in-depth and credible real-time assessment of health and basic needs among the >2 million IDPs in the South and West Darfur regions of Sudan. These assess-ments will help to identify better the basic needs and the gaps in humanitarian aid services, paying close attention to the specific needs of women. Methods: All study participants for this population-based assessment will be selected using systematic random sampling or a combination of systematic random sampling and cluster sampling as some IDP camps will not be accessible due to safety issues or Government policy. Approximately 1,200 households will be selected randomly and sampled in proportion to their distribution in IDP camps. The survey addresses demographics, the prevalence and extent of cer-tain abuses including sexual violence both by combatants and non-combatants, the prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicide and depression rates, and women's roles in society and primary health needs and gaps. Conclusion: A discussion of the findings of this survey to be completed in January 2005 will include the wide-ranging implications of establishing patterns of abuse and the health needs of survivors/victims, identifying specific policy rec-ommendations regarding the needs and/or vulnerabilities of the Sudanese IDPs, and identifying specific policy recom-mendations for gender-based and mental health needs. https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. from https:/www.cambridge.org/core.