Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries Oxford Medical Publications

Between 1950 and 1990, life expectancy in developing countries increased from forty to sixty-three years with a concomitant rise in the incidence of the noncommunicable diseases of adults and the elderly. Yet there remains a huge unfinished agenda for dealing with undernutrition and the communicable childhood diseases. These developments have intensified the need for better information on the effectiveness and cost of health interventions. To assist countries to define essential health service packages, this book provides information on disease control interventions for the commonest diseases and injuries in developing countries. The decision was made to go ahead for two reasons. First, because the combined insights of economists, epidemiologists, and clinicians could give valuable guidance in the difficult choices facingdecisionmakers in developing countries, aid agencies, and the World Bank. Second because, for the most part, other reviews did not systematically assess the cost-effectiveness of available interventions.