Measuring effectiveness of malaria control: a simplified method for primary health care. Preliminary report.
Based on the infant parasite rate where an increasing number of infants become positive for each month of age (until a plateau is reached) a measure is developed using surveillance blood slides of all cases of malaria at the start of the transmission season. The fortnightly PCD returns from the beginning of the malaria transmission season are plotted on log-log paper and the angle the slope of the line makes with the axis is compared with similar results obtained from the intervention. The difference between the angles measures the effectiveness. The measure can be used in places that have a marked seasonal pattern (for all ages). Where immunity is shown to be a factor, only positive children should be utilized. In areas where malaria is not seasonal, the infant parasite rate, using the rate of acquiring infection rather than the overall value, will provide an alternative indicator. This evaluation tool is being tried in seasonal and non-seasonal parts of the world.
Webber
R H
RH
Tropical Health Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
D000818:Animals; D009033:Culicidae / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012098:Reproduction; D012621:Seasons