Measuring Ill-Health Burden in Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara State: The Cost of Illness Approach

Abstract

This study measured the burden of ill-health in Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. The study mainly focused on malaria, typhoid fever and malnutrition which are considered as the major infections in the study area. Household Survey Questionnaire (HSQ) was used for data collection and a multi-stage random sampling technique was employed, since the local government area was clustered on the basis of its districts. A total number of 177 households were used for the analysis. The study used cost of illness (COI) approach to evaluate the burden of ill-health. The results showed that households incurred an average cost of #300.69 to spiritualist, #330.35 to self-medication and #1,940 to clinic for malaria treatment. For typhoid treatment, households spent an average cost of #270 to spiritualist, #361.16 for self-medication and #2,848.95 for clinic, while for malnutrition treatment within the period of incapacitation; households incurred an average cost of #417.50 to spiritualist, #339.25 for self-medication and #2,030.42 for clinic. While at the same time households lost an average of 4minutes to get treatment against malaria from spiritualist, 6minutes for self-medication and 4,556minutes for clinic. For typhoid, households lost an average of 5minutes to get treatment from spiritualist, 4minutes for self-medication and 5,185minutes at clinic. Finally, for malnutrition treatment, households lost an average of 8minutes for spiritualist, 7minutes for self-medication and 1,757minutes for clinical treatment. It is therefore recommended that there should be interventions in form of mobilizing resources, formulating and implementing policies and programmes that will promote awareness and measures that ensure effective prevention and control of these pandemic diseases. Hospital and clinics should also be easily accessible, readily available and affordable to the households in order to meet their health needs. Finally, some measures should be taken against the outbreaks of waterborne diseases through improvements in sewage and waste disposal, as well as provision of safe potable water. Also discourage defecation in the open.

Keywords: Ill-health, Burden, Household and Productivity.