Rapid assessment of health status and preventive-medicine needs of newly arrived Kampuchean refugees, Sa Kaeo, Thailand.

In the disaster relief programme for Kampuchean refugees in Thailand, epidemiological techniques were incorporated into the health-planning process during the first 2 weeks of the refugee influx. The findings influenced not only health care in the first refugee camp but also the delivery of medical services in subsequent camps. The mortality rate in the first week of refugee settlement was 9.1/10 000/day, and fell to 0.71/10 000/day by the fifth week. Children aged 4 and under had the highest risk of death. Fever/malaria was the main cause of morbidity and mortality. Simple epidemiological techniques, if initiated early in the relief effort, can influence medical decisions and lead to more effective use of health resources.