Meta-analysis and public policy: Reconciling the evidence on deworming.
meta_analysis · Level I
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38857387.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1073/pnas.2308733121 and PMC identifier 11194496.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The WHO recommends mass drug administration (MDA) for intestinal worm infections in areas with over 20% infection prevalence. Recent Cochrane meta-analyses endorse treatment of infected individuals but recommend against MDA. We conducted a theory-agnostic random-effects meta-analysis of the effect of multiple-dose MDA and a cost-effectiveness analysis. We estimate significant effects of MDA on child weight (0.15 kg, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.24; <i>P</i> < 0.001), mid-upper arm circumference (0.20 cm, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.37; <i>P</i> = 0.02), and height (0.09 cm, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.16; <i>P</i> = 0.02) when prevalence is over 20% but not on Hb (0.06 g/dL, 95% CI: -0.01, 0.14; <i>P</i> = 0.1). These results suggest that MDA is a cost-effective intervention, particularly in the settings where it is recommended by the WHO.
Medical subject headings
- Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic
- Helminthiasis