Cost-effective Treatment for Severely Malnourished Children

What is the Best Approach

Bibliographic Data

ID11490803
AuthorsAnn Ashworth (0000-0002-2948-0699, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, corresponding author), Sultana Khanum (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
Year1997
Volume12
Issue2
Pages115-121
Publication date1997-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Policy and Planning (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0268-1080 • E-ISSN: 1460-2237
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/heapol/12.2.115
PMID10168194
OpenAlexW2142741124
LanguageEN
Citations received9

UNLABELLED: In urban Bangladesh, 437 children with severe malnutrition aged 12-60 months were sequentially allocated to treat either as i) inpatients, ii) day care, or iii) domiciliary care after one week of day care. Average institutional cost (US$) to achieve 80% weight-for-height were respectively $156, $59 and $29/child. As a proportion of the overall costs, staff salaries were the largest component, followed by laboratory tests. Parental costs were highest for domiciliary care, as no food supplements were provided. Nevertheless it was the option most preferred by parents and when the institutional and parental costs were combined, domiciliary care was 1.6 times more cost-effective than day care, and 4.1 times more cost-effective than inpatient care. CONCLUSION: With careful training and an efficient referral system, domiciliary care preceded by one week of day care is the most cost-effective treatment option for severe malnutrition in this setting.

Cost effectiveness · Day care · Family medicine · Malnutrition · Referral · Severe Acute Malnutrition · Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Emergency Medicine · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Nursing · Nutrition and Health in Aging · Pediatrics

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