Asenso-Okyere W K, Dzator J A
Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Soc Sci Med. 1997 Sep;45(5):659-67. doi: 10.1016/s0277-9536(96)00383-8.
Although malaria or fever (as it is commonly referred to) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana, the cost of treating the disease in the country has not been well documented. Knowledge about the cost of treating malaria can affect the health care seeking behaviour of people and justify increased expenditure for malaria control. This study used data collected from 1289 households in two districts in Ghana to estimate the direct and indirect costs of malaria treatment. Malaria was ascertained not by parasitological tests but through symptoms described by the respondents using a recall period of one month. It was found that substantial amount of time was spent in seeking malaria care and taking care of the sick, which makes the indirect cost per case of fever represent 79% of the total cost of seeking treatment in the survey area. The results provide ample economic justification for malaria control. The average cost of treating an episode of the disease including direct costs and the opportunity costs of travel and waiting time amounted to $8.67 or 3.7 days of male output or 4.7 days of female output. When compared with the average five days loss of output for the patient due to malaria morbidity and caretaking, it can be concluded that the cost of controlling malaria is lower than lost earnings or the value of output.
尽管疟疾或发热（通常如此称呼）是加纳发病和死亡的主要原因，但该国治疗该疾病的成本尚未得到充分记录。了解疟疾治疗成本会影响人们寻求医疗保健的行为，并为增加疟疾控制支出提供理由。本研究使用从加纳两个地区的1289户家庭收集的数据来估计疟疾治疗的直接和间接成本。疟疾不是通过寄生虫学检测确定的，而是通过受访者描述的症状，回顾期为一个月。研究发现，在寻求疟疾治疗和照顾病人方面花费了大量时间，这使得调查地区每例发热的间接成本占寻求治疗总成本的79%。研究结果为疟疾控制提供了充分的经济依据。治疗一次疟疾发作的平均成本，包括直接成本以及出行和等待时间的机会成本，总计为8.67美元，相当于男性3.7天的产出或女性4.7天的产出。与因疟疾发病和照顾病人导致患者平均五天的产出损失相比，可以得出结论，控制疟疾的成本低于收入损失或产出价值。
