Cost-effectiveness of screening methods for urinary schistosomiasis in a school-based control programme in Ibadan, Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
To carry out a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis of screening methods for urinary schistosomiasis; terminal haematuria, unqualified haematuria, dysuria, visual urine examination and chemical reagent strip technique, in a school-based control programme.


METHODS
Estimation of costs and determination of cost-effect ratios of the screening methods applied in a school-based screening and treatment programme, from the perspective of a programme manager.


METHODS
A junior secondary school in Ibadan, Nigeria.


METHODS
Cost per number of cases correctly diagnosed.


RESULTS
Unqualified haematuria was found to be the most cost-effective method costing N51.06 (US$ 2.16) to diagnose a case correctly, followed by terminal haematuria N58.91 (US$ 2.50) and dysuria N84.24 (US$ 3.57). Despite the relatively high input costs of chemical reagent strip technique over visual urine examination (N22.12 (US$ 0.94) per student vs. N6.44 (US$ 0.27) per student), it was found to be more cost effective costing N304.56 (US$ 12.91) to diagnose a case correctly than visual examination of urine cost of N317.58 (US$ 13.46) per correct case diagnosed.


CONCLUSIONS
From the viewpoint of a programme manager, interview method of screening by asking for blood in the urine remains the most efficient means of screening for urinary schistosomiasis in school-based control programmes in our environment.
Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. akinfati@yahoo.com
Akinola Ayoola
AA
Fatiregun
Kayode O
KO
Osungbade
Aderonke E
AE
Olumide
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D009549:Nigeria; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012574:Schools