Cost of Illness of Water-borne Diseases: A Case Study of Quetta

Abstract

This study aims to investigate awareness about water quality and water borne diseases; analyze monetary burden of water borne diseases in Quetta city. Primary data were collected from some 200 households selected randomly by using cluster sampling technique. The results show that some 75% of households had knowledge about water quality and 66% of households had the awareness of water borne diseases. The quality of drinking water of Quetta city was found non-satisfactory and the household reported the existence of bad taste, foul smell/odor, change in appearance, and pathogens by 57%, 44%, 39%, and 60% respectively. Approximately 75% of households suffered from water borne diseases with children mostly prone to diseases among all affected. Moreover, some 32% of households happened to be targeted by water borne disease once in a month. The household’s mean frequency of exposure to disease was 2.35 per year and the disease lasted for an average of 2 to 3 days per episode. Among the diseases, a large proportion of households 44% were affected by Diarrhea, followed by GI 25%, Cholera 21%, Typhoid 5%, and other diseases 5%. Among the cost items, hospitalization and medicines caused the highest cost. On average, annually each household had to bear Rs. 10,494 cost of water borne diseases. Majority of households opted health care services from private and public hospitals by 62%, and 26% respectively, while the remaining opted either for home remedies or herbal medicines (Hakeem). It also shows that among others, the incidence and financial burden of water borne disease is more intense on low income group as they borne comparatively higher cost of illness as proportion of their total income.