The Camino Verde trial of community mobilisation for control of dengue reported a significant impact on entomological indices of the Aedes aegypti vector , and on serological dengue virus infection and self-reported dengue cases .
One reason for doing r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) is that experiments can be convincing .
Early epidemiological experimenters , such as Jenner and the smallpox vaccine and Snow and his famous Broad Street pump h and le , already knew the answer they were demonstrating ; they used the experiments as knowledge translation devices to convince others .
More sophisticated modern experiments include cluster r and omised controlled trials ( C RCTs ) for experiments in the public health setting .
Those who are convinced by a trial and want to act , need to know how the trial relates to their own context , what contributed to success , and what might make it even more effective .
Household costs of dengue illness: secondary outcomes from a randomised controlled trial of dengue prevention in Guerrero state, Mexico
Background Dengue is a serious public health problem with an important economic impact . This study used data from a cluster r and omised controlled trial of community mobilisation for dengue prevention to estimate the household costs of treatment of dengue illness . It examined the economic impact of the trial intervention in the three coastal regions of Mexico ’s Guerrero State . Methods The 2010 baseline survey covered households in a r and om sample of 90 clusters in the coastal regions ; the clusters were r and omly allocated to intervention or control and re-surveyed in 2012 . The surveys asked about dengue cases in the last 12 months , expenditures on their treatment , and work or school days lost by patients and care givers . We did not assign monetary value to days lost , since a lost day to a person of low earning power is of equal or higher value to that person than to one who earns more . Results The 12,312 households in 2010 reported 1020 dengue cases in the last 12 months ( 1.9 % of the sample population ) . Most ( 78 % ) were ambulatory cases , with a mean cost of USD 51 and 10.8 work/school days , rising to USD 96 and 11.4 work/school days if treated by a private physician . Hospitalised cases cost USD 28–94 in government institutions and USD 392 in private hospitals ( excluding additional inpatient charges ) , as well as 9.6–17.3 work/school days . Dengue cases cost households an estimated 412,825 work/school days throughout the three coastal regions . In the follow up survey , 6.1 % ( 326/5349 ) of households in intervention clusters and 7.9 % ( 405/5139 ) in control clusters reported at least one dengue case . The mean of days lost per case was similar in intervention and control clusters , but the number of days lost from dengue and all elements of costs for dengue cases per 1000 population were lower in intervention clusters . If the total population of the three coastal regions had received the intervention , some 149,401 work or school days lost per year could have been prevented . Conclusion The economic effect of dengue on households , including lost work days , is substantial . The Camino Verde trial intervention reduced household costs for treatment of dengue cases . Trial registration The trial was registered as IS RCT N:27,581,154
The Camino Verde trial of community mobilisation for control of dengue reported a significant impact on entomological indices of the Aedes aegypti vector , and on serological dengue virus infection and self-reported dengue cases .
One reason for doing r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) is that experiments can be convincing .
Early epidemiological experimenters , such as Jenner and the smallpox vaccine and Snow and his famous Broad Street pump h and le , already knew the answer they were demonstrating ; they used the experiments as knowledge translation devices to convince others .
More sophisticated modern experiments include cluster r and omised controlled trials ( C RCTs ) for experiments in the public health setting .
Those who are convinced by a trial and want to act , need to know how the trial relates to their own context , what contributed to success , and what might make it even more effective .