Malaria and protective behaviours: is there a malaria trap?

Jean-Claude Berthélemy, Josselin Thuilliez, Ogobara Doumbo () and Jean Gaudart ()
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Ogobara Doumbo: UCAD - Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar [Sénégal]
Jean Gaudart: SESSTIM - U912 INSERM - Aix Marseille Univ - IRD - Sciences Economiques et Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale

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Abstract: BackgroundIn spite of massive efforts to generalize efficient prevention, such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITN) or long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), malaria remains prevalent in many countries and ITN/LLINs are still only used to a limited extent.MethodsThis study proposes a new model for malaria economic analysis by combining economic epidemiology tools with the literature on poverty traps. A theoretical model of rational protective behaviour in response to malaria is designed, which includes endogenous externalities and disease characteristics. Survey data available for Uganda provide empirical support to the theory of prevalence-elastic protection behaviours, once endogeneity issues related to epidemiology and poverty are solved.ResultsTwo important conclusions emerge from the model. First, agents increase their protective behaviour when malaria is more prevalent in a society. This is consistent with the literature on "prevalence-elastic behaviour". Second, a 'malaria trap' defined as the result of malaria reinforcing poverty while poverty reduces the ability to deal with malaria can theoretically exist and the conditions of existence of the malaria trap are identified.ConclusionsThese results suggest the possible existence of malaria traps, which provides policy implications. Notably, providing ITN/LLINs at subsidized prices is not sufficient. To be efficient an ITN/LLINs dissemination campaigns should include incentive of the very poor for using ITN/LLINs.

Keywords: Protective behaviours; Poverty; Economic epidemiology; Malaria; ITN (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://inserm.hal.science/inserm-00838508v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

Published in Malaria Journal, 2013, 12 (1), pp.200. ⟨10.1186/1475-2875-12-200⟩

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Working Paper: Malaria and protective behaviours: is there a malaria trap? (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:inserm-00838508

DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-200

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