UXO victims and health status of populations living in Xiengkhuang Province, Lao PDR: A household-based survey.
During the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1973, over 2 million tons of bombs were dropped on Laos. Approximately 30% of the bombs did not explode and have posed a continued threat to civilians throughout the country. Approximately 200 casualties per year have been reported nationwide. Therefore, we conducted a household survey to better understand magnitude of UXO victims, accessibility to the MCH services and child healthcare seeking behaviors of the population in the Xiengkhuang province. The household-based survey was carried out in February 2006 among 6 of 541 villages. 283 household representatives were interviewed. The cumulative number of UXO victims identified from 1973 to 2005 was 45 casualties, of which 9 (20.0%) occurred in the year 2005. 37.5% reported knowledge of danger zones for UXO contamination. Among the 91 children under the age of 5 years, households on average reported 1.7 episodes per year for diarrhea, 2.7 for respiratory disease, 2.3 for fever and 1.7 for measles. 69.4% of children under five were completed the routine immunization program, 62.6% of mothers used ANC service for their most recent pregnancy, 58.2% accessed family planning services, and 28.6% delivered their most recent child at a healthcare facility. UXO victims in the targeted villages sharply increased in 2005. Insufficient knowledge about UXO danger and MRE seems to be a central factor in the high rate of UXO-associated accidents. Diarrhea, respiratory disease and measles remained health problems for children under 5 years. MCH services utilization were higher than Laos nationally.
Phathammavong
Outavong
O
Department of Health Policy and Planning, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan. outavong@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Boutta
Nao
N
Xayamoungkhoun
Panome
P
Kuroiwa
Chushi
C
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007812:Laos / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*