Most numbers below from this table (2000 data). Malaria kills about 1.1 million people per year in developing countries. ~65% are 4 years old or younger. (This particular figure appears to contradict the data from the Global Burden of Disease report pg 126-7, which implies a proportion closer to 90%). The burden of malaria goes…
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Mortality burdens by age group
Using Global Burden of Disease data, I put together a quick look at mortality in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by age group. This is particularly important when seeking interventions that focus on adult mortality, one of the goals from this list. Burden of mortality in LMICs by age group All the way on the…
The case against disaster relief
When a natural disaster and humanitarian crisis hits the headlines, many of us (including me) reach straight for our wallets. Emergencies have an easier time getting our attention (and emotional investment) than the chronic health problems that plague the developing world every day. But to hear the Disease Control Priorities report tell it, emergency aid…
Cost-effectiveness is in the eye of the beholder
Broadly-speaking, we think of “cost-effectiveness” as referring to how much of value is accomplished for a given amount of money. If two interventions are both proven and scalable to similar degrees, the more cost-effective one is a better investment because it allows the same donation to accomplish more of value. However, “value” means different things…
Selecting program-based health interventions
We are doing both region-based and program-based research on developing-world health. First I will discuss our program-based research, which will focus on (a) finding particular interventions (and/or clusters of interventions) that appeal to us; (b) finding organizations that implement these interventions “vertically,” i.e., replicating the same basic program across a variety of regions. For these…
Region-based vs. program-based approaches to developing-world health
Deciding where to give involves making major judgment calls: decisions that rest on subjective and otherwise highly debatable claims (such as the decision of which sort of life change to aim for). We have no pretense of being able to make such judgment calls “objectively” or “perfectly. Rather, we try to: Be explicit about which…