Survey ID Number
ZMB_2009_ZAAI_v01_M
Title
The Zambia Access to ACT Initiative Survey 2009
Data Collection Notes
To offset these limitations, the evaluation will include a household survey. A combined malaria indicator and socioeconomic household survey will be administered in randomly selected households in both the control and intervention districts prior to the intervention (baseline), and one year following the baseline survey (follow up).
• The household survey modules will provide data on: household composition (age, gender, etc.), consumption, assets, education, labor supply, health seeking behavior, fever/malaria episode-related KAP, history of malaria within the household, treatment seeking behavior, WTP for anti-malarials, fever/malaria related expenditures, and opportunity costs of illness.
• In addition, the survey will collect biomarker tests: parasite prevalence, hemoglobin, and anthropometry will be collected from all household residents. Upon consent from the household member or his/her guardian, parasite prevalence will be tested using rapid diagnostic test kits (RDTs). The procedure is mildly intrusive, whereby a small sample of blood is taken by standard finger-prick methods using a sterile lancet (the same sample will be used for hemoglobin assessment). Trained public health technicians will be responsible for all blood collections.
All surveys will be performed according to the international guidelines for human experimentation in clinical research. Ethical clearance for the surveys will be obtained from the MOH prior to fielding the surveys.
Complementary data will also be collected to track and understand the effect of potential confounders, and to, ideally, ensure lack of contamination between treatments and control groups, or, if unavoidable, to best mitigate these effects during the analytical work. Complementary data includes: i) monthly weather statistics; ii) community factors, including changes in behavior communication related to fever/malaria prevention and treatment, etc.; and iii) specialized agency consultations (MOH, NMCC, NRA, MLS, DHMT, etc.) to track/control for confounding interventions, such as introduction of new programs (e.g. additional preventive intervention ITNs, IRS etc. through other donors; changes in the regulatory regime, etc.)
In addition to tracking operational progress and the impact of the interventions on the population, the study includes a rigorous costing and cost effectiveness component. The cost-effectiveness analysis will provide evidence on the relative costs and consequences of different interventions in order to assist in priority-setting and budget allocation. Costing will inform on accounting and economic costs of the interventions. Cost effectiveness will inform on the gross (incremental cost of intervention only) and net costs (incorporating potential cost savings as a result of the intervention, measured e.g. as cases averted, reduction in productivity loss, etc.) of the interventions.