Cost-Effective Iron-Folic Acid Supplementation in Vietnam
Author Information
Author(s): Casey Gerard J., Sartori Davide, Horton Susan E., Phuc Tran Q., Phu Luong B., Thach Dang T., Dai Tran C., Fattore Giovanni, Montresor Antonio, Biggs Beverley-A.
Primary Institution: The University of Melbourne
Hypothesis
Is weekly iron-folic acid supplementation combined with deworming cost-effective in preventing anaemia in women of reproductive age in Vietnam?
Conclusion
The study shows that weekly iron-folic acid supplementation and regular deworming is a low-cost and cost-effective intervention.
Supporting Evidence
- The cost per woman treated was USD 0.76 per annum.
- Prevalence of anaemia fell from 38% at baseline to 20% after 12 months.
- The cost-effectiveness of the project is assessed at USD 4.24 per anaemia case prevented per year.
- The benefit:cost ratio is 6.7:1.
Takeaway
Giving women iron and folic acid supplements every week helps them stay healthy and is cheap to do.
Methodology
Cost-effectiveness was evaluated using data on programmatic costs and impact on anaemia and iron status collected through surveys.
Limitations
The main limitation was the lack of a control arm for comparison.
Participant Demographics
Women of reproductive age in Yen Bai province, Vietnam.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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