HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ON MALARIA PREVENTION AND TREATMENT FOR FAMILIES IN THE TOWN OF BOBO-DIOULASSO, BURKINA-FASO

A study of household expenditure associated with malaria prevention an d treatment was carried out in the town of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Fas o. In January 1992 interviews were conducted with the heads of 150 fam ilies concerning expenditure during the past 6 months (corresponding t o the peak transmission season). Families were selected by cluster sam pling in the central, intermediate and outlying zones of the town. Fam ilies consisted of 6-7 people pn average and had a total average month ly income of US $288 per month. During the preceding transmission seas on families had experienced an average of 16 episodes of malaria ('fev er') and 85% treated this illness with traditional or modern drugs wit hout reference to a health agent or healer. Seventy-seven per cent of families had been given a prescription by a health agent for one or mo re episodes of malaria. The average total cost of treatment for the pr eceding 6 months was US $42 per family. Malaria prevention techniques included chemical prophylaxis, aerosol sprays, mosquito coils and non- impregnated bed nets and the average cost over the previous 6 months w as estimated as US $33 per family. Expenditure for prevention and trea tment was highest in the central zone of the town. The overall expendi ture on malaria prevention and treatment (US $75) was nearly 5% of tot al family income during the 6 months transmission season. These findin gs confirm that there is a pattern of high expenditure on disease prev ention and treatment among families in many parts of Africa and sugges t that family resources could be used more effectively to promote bett er health.