Meta-analysis and public policy: Reconciling the evidence on deworming

Kevin Croke, Joan Hamory, Eric Hsu, Michael Kremer (), Ricardo Maertens, Edward Miguel and Witold Więcek
Additional contact information
Kevin Croke: a Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , MA 02115
Joan Hamory: b Department of Economics, University of Oklahoma , Norman , OK 73019
Eric Hsu: c Department of Economics, University of California , Berkeley , CA 94720
Michael Kremer: e National Bureau of Economic Research , Cambridge , MA 02138
Ricardo Maertens: f Department of Economics, Harvard University , Cambridge , MA 02138
Edward Miguel: e National Bureau of Economic Research , Cambridge , MA 02138
Witold Więcek: d Department of Economics, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL 60637

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2024, vol. 121, issue 25, e2308733121

Abstract:

The WHO recommends mass drug administration (MDA) for intestinal worm infections in areas with over 20% infection prevalence. Recent Cochrane meta-analyses endorse treatment of infected individuals but recommend against MDA. We conducted a theory-agnostic random-effects meta-analysis of the effect of multiple-dose MDA and a cost-effectiveness analysis. We estimate significant effects of MDA on child weight (0.15 kg, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.24; P < 0.001), mid-upper arm circumference (0.20 cm, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.37; P = 0.02), and height (0.09 cm, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.16; P = 0.02) when prevalence is over 20% but not on Hb (0.06 g/dL, 95% CI: −0.01, 0.14; P = 0.1). These results suggest that MDA is a cost-effective intervention, particularly in the settings where it is recommended by the WHO.

Keywords: meta-analysis; cost-effectiveness; deworming; nutrition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nas:journl:v:121:y:2024:p:e2308733121

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