Economic burden of malaria in rural Tanzania: variations by socioeconomic status and season.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the economic burden of malaria in a rural Tanzanian setting and identify any differences by socioeconomic status and season.


METHODS
Interviews of 557 households in south eastern Tanzania between May and December 2004, on consumption and malaria-related costs.


RESULTS
Malaria-related expenses were significantly higher in the dry, non-malarious season than in the rainy season. Households sought treatment more frequently and from more expensive service providers in the dry season, when they have more money. Malaria expenses did not vary significantly across socioeconomic status quintiles, but poorer households spent a higher proportion of their consumption in both seasons.


CONCLUSIONS
Poorer households bear a greater economic burden from malaria relative to their consumption than better-off households. Households are particularly vulnerable to malaria in the rainy season, when malaria prevalence is highest but liquidity is lower. Alternative strategies to assist households to cope with seasonal liquidity issues, including insurance, should be investigated.
Somi
Masha F
MF
Australian Centre for Economic Research on Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. masha.somi@anu.edu.au
Butler
James R G
JR
Vahid
Farshid
F
Njau
Joseph D
JD
Kachur
S Patrick
SP
Abdulla
Salim
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000191:economics; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health; D012621:Seasons; D012923:Social Class; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology