ABSTRACT
Willingness to pay (WTP) for the ICT Malaria Pf/Pv test kit was assessed by the contingent valuation method using a bidding game approach in two villages in Myanmar. Kankone (KK) village has a rural health center (RHC) and Yae-Aye-Sann (YAS) is serviced by community health worker (CHW). The objectives were to assess WTP for the ICT Malaria Pf/Pv test kit and to determine factors affecting the WTP. In both villages WTP was assessed in two different conditions, ex post and ex ante. The ex post WTP was assessed at an RHC in the KK village and at the residence of a CHW in the YAS village on patients immediately following diagnosis of malaria. The ex ante WTP was assessed by household interviews in both villages on people with a prior history of malaria. Ordinary least squares (OLS) multiple regression analysis was used to analyze factors affecting WTP. The WTP was higher in ex post conditions than ex ante in both villages. WTP was significantly positively associated with the average monthly income of the respondents and severity of illness in both ex post and ex ante conditions (p < 0.001). Distance between the residence of the respondents and the health center was significantly positively associated (p < 0.05) in the ex ante condition in a household survey of YAS village. Traveling time to RHC had a negative relationship with WTP (p < 0.05) in the ex post condition in the RHC survey in KK village.
Subject(s)
Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Fees, Medical , Female , Financing, Personal , Humans , Malaria/diagnosis , Male , Myanmar , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Reagent Kits, Diagnostic/economics , Regression AnalysisABSTRACT
The likely effects of different vaccine strategies was tested using computer simulation of malaria transmission. In areas of seasonal or epidemic malaria, vaccines directed against all stages (pre-erythrocytic, erythrocytic and sexual) gave similar reductions in disease transmission. These models indicate that such vaccines may be much more effective that commonly predicted. The major effect will be to slow the spread of, rather than totally prevent malaria. As such, the use of such vaccines will be heavily dependent on integrated control programs involving other forms of control.