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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 8, Issue 3, October 2013 pp 248-251

Research Article

Estimation of the Socioeconomic Burden of Mosquito Borne Illnesses on Different Income Groups Using the Principles of Health Economics

Sanjay Dixit¹, Suraj Sirohi^2*, Salil Sakalle ³, Rahul Rokade⁴, Satish Saroshe⁵, Sugandha Sirohi⁶

{¹Professor and Head, ^2,5Assistant Professor, ³Associate Professor, ⁴Demonstrator}

Department of Community Medicine, MGM Medical College, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, INDIA.

Academic Editor : Dr. Aher K.R.

Introduction: Mosquito-borne diseases are one of the most serious and complex health problems facing humanity in the 21st Century are making many countries spend billions on health sector. Authentic figures indicated that malaria kills more than one million people each year. Objectives: To calculate and compare expenditure on mosquito preventive measures, expenditure on treatment of illnesses and benefit cost ratios, working days lost in three income groups viz. low, middle and high income group, to find out most preferred preventive measures  in terms of effectiveness, cost and environmental modification undertaken. Materials and Method: A cross sectional study was conducted in 300 families (100 of each low, middle and high income group). All families, which were using mosquito-preventive measures, were included in the study and those which did not were excluded. The study was conducted through a detailed pretested semi-structured questionnaire filling via a door to door survey approach. Results: Monthly expenditure on preventive measures were highest and lowest in high and low income group respectively, the no. of persons falling ill due to mosquito-borne illnesses in the past one year were highest and lowest in low and high income group respectively whereas expenditure on treatment of mosquito-borne diseases (per capita) was highest and lowest for middle and high income group respectively. It was found that if expenditure is more on preventive aspect in all income groups, greater is the benefit in terms of greater benefit cost ratio in therapeutic aspect, the cost-effective mosquito control measure of choice was Neem leaves while the most effective mosquito control measure of choice was aerosol. Conclusion: Families spent according to their incomes on mosquito-preventive measures i.e. highest by high and lowest by low income group. Families that spent more on preventive measures had lesser no. of people falling ill.