Economic costs of epidemic malaria to households in rural Ethiopia.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the direct and indirect costs of malaria morbidity among communities in an epidemic area in rural Southcentral Ethiopia.


METHODS
Community-based cross-sectional study of 2195 households in Adami Tulu district from October to November 2003. Treatment-seeking behaviour, expenditure on treatment and transportation, interruption of normal activities, time lost from working and household expenditure on preventive methods were ascertained through interview.


RESULTS
Of 12,225 surveyed individuals, 1748 (14.3%) reported perceived malaria during the preceding 2 weeks. 77.1% sought any form of care and 70% had recovered at the time of interview. The average treatment cost per patient at private clinics was Birr 24.00 ($2.76) and Birr 12.50 ($1.44) at public facilities. The average estimated direct cost of malaria per patient was Birr 14.00 ($1.60); the average indirect cost, Birr 35.26 ($4.08). Only 5% of all households reported any preventive expenditure in the preceding month, with a mean of Birr 0.76 ($0.09).


CONCLUSIONS
Malaria poses a significant economic burden on rural households and individuals both through out-of-pocket payment and person-days lost. The promotion and implementation of insecticide-treated nets would alleviate the economic consequences of the disease.
Deressa
Wakgari
W
School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. deressaw@yahoo.com
Hailemariam
Damen
D
Ali
Ahmed
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D015438:Health Behavior; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000191:economics; D012423:Rural Health