THE ECONOMIC COSTS OF MALARIA AND BEHAVIOUR OF FARMING HOUSEHOLDS TOWARDS TREATMENT CARE IN IBESIKPO ASUTAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Malaria is an endemic disease and remains a significant public health issue with farmers particularly vulnerable to mosquito bites owing to the nature of their work. This study aimed to estimate the direct and indirect costs associated with malaria episodes at the household level and also determine the
factors that influence the choice of treatment sources by malaria-stricken households. The study was conducted at Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom state and the population of this study included all farm households in the study area. Purposive and random walk sampling techniques were adopted to select a total sample of 200 households for this study and a structured questionnaire was used to collect cross-sectional data from farming households. The Cost of Illness Model was used to estimate the economic cost of malaria, by combining the direct medical cost, direct non-medical cost, and labour productivity loss. The total economic burden imposed by malaria was estimated to be ₦12,530.1 per episode per household. The study reveals low patronage of conventional treatment sources (modern health services) among the farming households and high levels of self-medication and traditional means as treatment options. The study also shows that the farming household’s socioeconomic characteristics affect their choice of treatment care services. Specifically, sex, age, education and household income, are important determinants for traditional means, while household size, marital status and number of episodes are important for self-medication. Policy indications emerging from the study suggest public health enlightenment programmes to both farming
households and health practitioners, and extensive control of the drug market by National Agency for Food and DrugAdministration and Control (NAFDAC).