In 1984 and again in 1985, systematic surveys were undertaken to evaluate infant mortality and childhood nutritional status among the Afghan refugee population in Pakistan. The entire Afghan refugee population under the administration of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was sampled. Infant mortality rates were estimated to be 156 per 1000 for 1984 and 119 per 1000 for 1985. A decline was also suggested in neonatal mortality rates from 61 per 1000 for 1984 to 46 per 1000 for 1985. For neither infant nor neonatal mortality was the difference statistically significant. Improvements were seen in the percentage of children who died before their fifth birthday (22.5% in 1984 and 18.8% in 1985), in the percentage of children who were malnourished (3.5% in 1984 and 2.3% in 1985), and an increase in the percentage of children above the WHO/NCHS/CDC weight-for-height reference median (26% in 1984 and 35% in 1985). Diarrhoea was the most frequently reported cause of death for both years and was a particularly important cause of death among one-year-old children. In 1985, measles was related to 24% of the deaths and neonatal tetanus to 9% of the deaths, an increase from 8% for measles and 6% for tetanus in 1984. © 1987 International Epidemiological Association.

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Short Survey Studies Pakistan biology Research Methodology Comparative Studies Afghanistan Infections refugee Surveys physiology population Southern Asia Random Allocation Migrants Population Dynamics Sampling Studies human Developing Countries Refugees epidemiology Asia Political Factors war child nutrition Methodological Studies priority journal Nutrition Disorders childhood health Community Surveys Infant, Newborn Viral Diseases Diseases preschool child Causes Of Death tuberculosis Infant Child, Preschool diarrhea health services nutrition fatality migration body weight Nutrition Surveys Demographic Factors ethnic or racial aspects Infant Mortality malnutrition Delivery of Health Care cause of death body height immunization nutritional status measles tetanus Child Nutrition--changes Infant Mortality--changes mortality newborn tetanus primary health care