Cost-effectiveness of home-based chlorination and safe water storage...

Below is an abstract of a May 2006 study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene that examined the cost-effectiveness of safe water systems for HIV-affected households in Tororo, Uganda.

1: Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2006 May;74(5):884-890. - Cost effectiveness of home-based chlorination and safe water storage in reducing diarrhea among HIV-affected households in rural Uganda. by Shrestha RK, Marseille E, Kahn JG, Lule JR, Pitter C, Blandford JM, Bunnell R, Coutinho A, Kizito F, Quick R, Mermin J.

Safe water systems (SWSs) have been shown to reduce diarrhea and death. We examined the cost-effectiveness of SWS for HIV-affected households using health outcomes and costs from a randomized controlled trial in Tororo, Uganda. SWS was part of a home-based health care package that included rapid diarrhea diagnosis and treatment of 196 households with relatively good water and sanitation coverage. SWS use averted 37 diarrhea episodes and 310 diarrhea-days, representing 0.155 disability-adjusted life year (DALY) gained per 100 person-years, but did not alter mortality. Net program costs were $5.21/episode averted, $0.62/diarrhea-day averted, and $1,252/DALY gained. If mortality reduction had equaled another SWS trial in Kenya, the cost would have been $11/DALY gained. The high SWS cost per DALY gained was probably caused by a lack of mortality benefit in a trial designed to rapidly treat diarrhea. SWS is an effective intervention whose cost-effectiveness is sensitive to diarrhea-related mortality, diarrhea incidence, and effective clinical management.