title: The Butajira rural health project in Ethiopia: epidemiological surveillance for research and intervention in primary health care.
abstract: Ten study populations sampled from a total of 86 communities in a rural Ethiopian area, have been registered and followed for a period of four years. A baseline census revealed a median age of 15 years, a literacy rate of 24%, poor housing and environmental conditions, and low utilization of the existing health care facilities. A surveillance system was established which made it possible to estimate the occurrence of vital events. This showed a crude birth rate of 40.3/1000, a crude death rate of 16.4/1000, a life-expectancy at birth of 48 years, an infant mortality rate of 114/1000, a yearly child (1-4 years) mortality rate of 36/1000, and an under-five mortality rate of 210/1000. The implications of these data in terms of the planning and operations of research and health services are discussed, and on-going and projected studies are outlined emphasizing the methodological potentials of this epidemiological study base.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shamebo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sandström
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011320:Primary Health Care; D014798:Vital Statistics