Oct 24, 2007

Misperception Breeds Misallocation

by Laura Starita

There is no doubt that the impact on children of diseases such as AIDS and malaria is devastating, especially in the developing world. Organizations such as The Global Fund, the Earth Institute and others should be commended for their success at bringing the impact of these diseases on children to the attention of Western readers. But maybe they have been too successful. The New York Times recently reported on a study in which people were asked about the most common global causes of death in children under five. Respondents named AIDS and malaria as the top two, yet the reality is that birth complications, respiratory illness and diarrheal disease are by far the biggest offenders—AIDS and malaria together account for only about ten percent.

Far from innocent, this kind of misperception is hugely problematic largely because it means that more funds get allocated to the “Big Three” (which includes Tuberculosis) and less to efforts for hygiene and clean water, or antibiotic availability that would cut these deaths dramatically. Keep in mind that the cost of treating the most common killers is significantly less than the cost of treating any of the Big Three.

Misperception clouds not only Western understanding of dynamics in the developing world, but also our own health system. This became clear last week when the CDC published a report stating that there were twice as many deaths from drug-resistant staph infections than previously thought—19,000. This makes staph more deadly than AIDS in this country. And where are people contracting these infections? In hospitals, where infection-control practices (hand washing, equipment sterilization) sometimes are not employed properly or consistently.

All this serves as a reminder that small acts, informed by reliable data, can have big impact.

New York Times: In U.S. Poll, Most Fail a Quiz on Global Causes of Child Death

Deadly Bacteria Found to be More Common than Originally Thought