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Conflict and Health
Published in: Conflict and Health 1/2008

Open Access 01-12-2008 | Methodology

Users' guides to the medical literature: how to use an article about mortality in a humanitarian emergency

Authors: Edward J Mills, Francesco Checchi, James J Orbinski, Michael J Schull, Frederick M Burkle Jr, Chris Beyrer, Curtis Cooper, Colleen Hardy, Sonal Singh, Richard Garfield, Bradley A Woodruff, Gordon H Guyatt

Published in: Conflict and Health | Issue 1/2008

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Abstract

The accurate interpretation of mortality surveys in humanitarian crises is useful for both public health responses and security responses. Recent examples suggest that few medical personnel and researchers can accurately interpret the validity of a mortality survey in these settings. Using an example of a mortality survey from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we demonstrate important methodological considerations that readers should keep in mind when reading a mortality survey to determine the validity of the study and the applicability of the findings to their settings.
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Metadata
Title
Users' guides to the medical literature: how to use an article about mortality in a humanitarian emergency
Authors
Edward J Mills
Francesco Checchi
James J Orbinski
Michael J Schull
Frederick M Burkle Jr
Chris Beyrer
Curtis Cooper
Colleen Hardy
Sonal Singh
Richard Garfield
Bradley A Woodruff
Gordon H Guyatt
Publication date
01-12-2008
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Conflict and Health / Issue 1/2008
Electronic ISSN: 1752-1505
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-1505-2-9

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