Skip navigation
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dsp01j38607011
Title: The Effects of Subsidizing Antimalarials and Rapid Diagnostic Tests: Results from an Individual-Based Model of Malaria Transmission
Authors: Renschler, John Patrick
Advisors: Grenfell, Bryan
Department: Woodrow Wilson School
Class Year: 2013
Abstract: In this thesis I set out to investigate the effects of subsidizing malaria rapid diagnostic tests on malaria related deaths, overtreatment, and total subsidy costs. This is an important problem in public health today because scholars have estimated a global need for 655 million malaria rapid diagnostic tests in 2013 in order to cut down the 437 million antimalarials that are used each year by malaria negative individuals (J. M. Cohen et al., 2012). Presumptive treatment of malaria is damaging because febrile patients are not being treated for the true cause of their illness, limited global funding and drug supplies could be better directed to individuals who truly need the drugs, and overtreatment may play a role in favoring the emergence and spread of antimalarial drug resistance. To investigate my thesis question, I developed an individual based model of malaria transmission that incorporated a model of antimalarial demand, a model for treatment management of febrile illness, and a model for valuation of malaria rapid diagnostic tests. My model demonstrates that mRDT price subsidies: (1) Can be used to increase mRDT usage and thereby reduce the overtreatment of malaria. (2) Are costly, and reductions in overtreatment costs are not great enough to outweigh the additional costs associated with subsidizing diagnostic tests when there are low levels of compliance with mRDT results.
Extent: 113 pages
URI: http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dsp01j38607011
Access Restrictions: Walk-in Access. This thesis can only be viewed on computer terminals at the Mudd Manuscript Library.
Type of Material: Princeton University Senior Theses
Language: en_US
Appears in Collections:Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, 1929-2023

Files in This Item:
File SizeFormat 
Renschler_WWS_Thesis.pdf10.81 MBAdobe PDF    Request a copy


Items in Dataspace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.