Charles P Makoutodé, Martine Audibert* and Achille Massougbodji*
Background: The economic burden of malaria for households in the municipality of Kouandé and in the control and municipality of Copargo in Benin was assessed in two cross-sectional studies before and after the implementation of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).
Method: This study was conducted in two phases: Just before the implementation of the IRS and one year later. The same methodological approach was strictly followed for each of the two phases. The selection of households was made by systematic random sampling from the register of patients obtained from each of the four health centers. The health center sampling frame was a list of patients who had been confirmed by Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) or Thick Drop (GE) and who had completed treatment for malaria no later than four weeks prior to the survey. In total, 400 and 405 households respectively were sampled and surveyed during the two phases.
Results: The pre–intervention economic indicators were significantly higher than those obtained after intervention at the urban district level (Kouandé-Centre), whereas the opposite result was observed at the level of the rural district (Guilmaro). In the control zone, regardless of the type of rounding, the pre-intervention economic indicators were significantly higher than those obtained after the intervention, except for the indirect costs for which there was no significant difference before and after the intervention. These results showed at first sight that in three out of four districts the economic indicators decreased significantly in one year, irrespective of the implementation of intervention or not. It could be inferred that the results obtained cannot be attributed to the implementation of the IRS alone. The median theoretical household income available before and after the intervention was significantly lower than the median economic cost of malaria for the household at Kouandé centre and Pabégou whereas there was no significant difference between these two parameters in Copargo centre and at Guilmaro.
Conclusion: As a general rule for these two communes, the occurrence of malaria (especially severe) would significantly influence the availability of saving at the household level.