| Autor: |
Canali, Massimo, Vici, Laura, Rivas Morales, Stefano, Donati, Luciano, Matrangolo, Carmela, Venturelli, Claudio, Angelini, Paola, Dottori, Michele, Bellini, Romeo, Carrieri, Marco |
| Předmět: |
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| Zdroj: |
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases; 10/9/2024, Vol. 18 Issue 10, p1-18, 18p |
| Abstrakt: |
Background: In 2007, the first outbreak of Chikungunya in Italy generated great alarm, highlighting the health risks caused by exotic species recently introduced in Europe and the need to strengthen control actions against the vectors. Besides health risks, mosquitoes cause nuisance, and citizens are required to adopt control measures. While the economic aspects of mosquito control by public agencies have been investigated, the scientific literature on the costs of mosquito protection incurred by families is scarce. This study assessed the households' expenditure on protective measures against mosquitoes in Emilia-Romagna, a region in Northern Italy. Methodology/Principal findings: A phone questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data on the annual expenditure incurred by households for self-protection against mosquitos in relation to the perceived level of nuisance and the household and dwelling characteristics. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the main determinants influencing such expenditure, which resulted affected by dwelling characteristics, presence of children under 6 years of age, and health concerns of family members. The average annual household expenditure was estimated at 84.63 euros, about 30 times higher than the expenditure per household supported by regional and local administrations for interventions against mosquitoes in public areas, as calculated in a previous study. Conclusion/Significance: Household expenditure is mainly aimed at providing a direct defense against mosquito bites (mosquito nets, adulticides, skin-on repellents, etc.) while spending for more effective measures addressed to reduce mosquito density results marginal: e.g., only 3.5% of the total expenditure was dedicated to larval control. Control activities that lower the mosquito density in both private and public areas could reduce the use of household insecticides in urban environments and the related costs, and the risk of spread of imported arboviruses as well. Author summary: To achieve effectiveness, mosquito control requires the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) methods and comprehensive strategies in both public and private areas. In the case of urban mosquitoes, the application of IPM in public areas alone may not reduce the insect population density to levels that limit the nuisance, particularly during daytime, and mitigate the risks of arbovirus outbreaks. In Italy, the control activities by local administrations are usually limited to public areas, while interventions in private areas are delegated to owners and residents. This study analyzed the expenses incurred by households to protect themselves from mosquitoes. We found that the average yearly cost per household was about € 84.63 (excluding the depreciation costs of mosquito nets, the average expenditure drops to € 58.63 per household), which was significantly higher than the average expenditure incurred by local administrations for their interventions in public areas (approximately € 3/household/year). The efficacy of domestic mosquito control methods is difficult to estimate due to the variety of strategies, tools and operating conditions. Moreover, the application of domestic tools is mainly driven by marketing instead of sound cost-effectiveness evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
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