Retrospective determination of whether famine existed in Niger, 2005: two stage cluster survey.
OBJECTIVE
To apply the famine scale by Howe and Devereux to the situation in Niger, west Africa, in 2005 to retrospectively determine whether famine existed.


METHODS
Two stage cluster survey.


METHODS
Survey of households in each of Niger's eight regions.


METHODS
4003 households.


METHODS
Crude mortality, mortality in children under 5, and the proportion of caregivers both nationally and regionally adopting coping strategies to deal with insufficient food needs.


RESULTS
The estimated national crude mortality rate was 0.4 (0.4 to 0.5) deaths per 10,000 per day and under 5 mortality rate was 1.7 (1.4 to 1.9) deaths per 10,000 per day. Nationally, 22.3% (95% confidence interval 19.9% to 24.8%) of caregivers of under 5s did not resort to any coping strategies to deal with insufficient food needs. Reversible coping strategies were, however, used by 5.8% (4.7% to 7.0%) of caregivers, whereas 49.4% (46.9% to 51.8%) relied on irreversible coping strategies and 22.6% (20.0% to 25.4%) on survival strategies.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of the famine scale proposed by Howe and Devereux, most regions in Niger experienced food crisis conditions and some areas approached famine proportions.
Reza
Avid
A
International Emergency and Refugee Health Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE (MS F-60), Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. afr6@cdc.gov
Tomczyk
Basia
B
Aguayo
Victor M
VM
Zagré
Noel M
NM
Goumbi
Kadadé
K
Blanton
Curtis
C
Talley
Leisel
L
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009548:Niger / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health; D013217:Starvation / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D015996:Survival Rate