Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40340795›Full record

ReviewMalaria journal2025

Socio-economic inequalities in malaria prevalence among under-five children in Ghana between 2016 and 2019: a decomposition analysis.

Marian Yaa Abrafi Edusei, Olufunke Alaba, Denis Okova, Amarech Obse

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Review in Malaria journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Marian Yaa Abrafi EduseiHealth Economics Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925, South Africa. marianedusei.yaa@gmail.com.
Olufunke AlabaHealth Economics Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925, South Africa.
Denis OkovaHealth Economics Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925, South Africa.
Amarech ObseHealth Economics Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn a country with limited and unequally distributed resources, and plagued with malaria annually, under-five children are severely affected by this disease in Ghana. While the epidemiological burden of malaria on under-five children is well-documented, the extent and contributors of socio-economic inequalities in malaria prevalence remain under-explored. This study examined the intertemporal socioeconomic status (SES)-related inequalities in malaria prevalence among under-five children in Ghana from 2016 to 2019 and identified the key factors contributing to these disparities.

methodsData were drawn from the 2016 and 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Surveys (GMIS). The study population consisted of under-five children who were tested for malaria in both surveys. Malaria prevalence served as the outcome variable, with the wealth index used as a proxy for socio-economic status. Socio-economic inequalities in malaria prevalence were evaluated using concentration indices and concentration curves. A decomposition analysis was employed to identify the socio-economic factors contributing to the observed inequalities.

resultsA total of 2323 children in 2016 and 1938 children in 2019 were tested for malaria. Malaria prevalence increased from 8% in 2016 to 10% in 2019. The concentration index for 2019 (Concentration Index = - 0.224; Standard Error = 0.059; p-value = 0.000) was statistically significant and negative, indicating higher malaria prevalence among children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. However, the concentration index for 2016 (Concentration Index = - 0.052; Standard Error = 0.044; p-value = 0.230) was not statistically significant. In 2019, socio-economic status, region, and ethnicity accounted for 59.38%, 23.66%, and 4.46%, respectively, of the observed inequalities in malaria prevalence.

conclusionThe study revealed a persistent pro-poor inequality in malaria prevalence in under-five children in Ghana, underscoring the importance of targeted malaria control interventions. These interventions should prioritize socioeconomically disadvantaged groups to reduce inequalities in malaria prevalence which contributes to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of improving health (SDG 3) and reducing inequalities (SDG 10), among others.

Indexed as

Health Status DisparitiesMalariaSocioeconomic FactorsChild, PreschoolFemaleGhanaHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMalePrevalenceGhanaMalariaSocio-economic inequalitiesSub-Sahara AfricaUnder-five children

Identifiers

PMID40340795
PMCPMC12063222

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.