The very subjective nature of most environmental health criteria for disaster relief and refugee camps makes interpretation of minimum quantities of potable water and separation distances from sources of pollution difficult, even for the trained environmental health professional. A review of the literature and a survey carried out with international environmental health professionals were conducted to summarize both the least-preferred and most-preferred parameters for enhanced environmental health services in such camps. The survey was conducted using a form of decision analysis, modified from the Simple Multiattribute Rating Technique. A campsite evaluation form was prepared using the selected criteria, after converting them to utilities. The form was used to evaluate existing refugee camps in Thailand. Camp environmental health scores were then compared to selected environmentally-associated diseases. Results of that evaluation suggest that the environmental health criteria and the camp rating methodology suggested are valid, at least for camps in hot, moist climates. © 1992, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Refugee camps environmental health criteria potable water disaster relief

health service refugee camp medical geography environmental health developing country Thailand environmental health criteria potable water disaster relief water supply