RESUMO
Epidemiological procedures can be organised under disaster conditions by means of a simple surveillance system and with few personnel. In the aftermath of the 4 February 1976 earthquake in Guatemala, an information system was organized by which the requisite information for decision-making was obtained with adequate speed and promptness. The initial epidemiologic informution was based on reports collected during the early days on symptoms observed at hospitals and health centers and in localities and villages in the stricken area. At a second, post-emergency stage a more elaborate surveillance system was instituted to provide guidance in the investigntwn of outbreaks, evaluate the health activities and establish basic criteria for preventive and control measures.
RESUMO
The relationship between morbidity and physical growth increments was investigated in 716 Guatemalan children ranging in age from 15 days to 7 years. The growth variables investigated were semestral and yearly increments in total body length and weight. The number of days ill with diarrhea, fever, and respiratory illnesses per semester or year was used as an indicator of morbidity. The morbidity data were collected through bi-weekly retrospective interviews of mothers. Children less ill with diarrhea had substantially larger increments in length and weight than children who were ill with diarrhea a greater percentage of the time. In contrast, fever and respiratory illnesses did not affect growth rates. These findings highlight the fact that diarrhea is a major public health problem in developing nations.