A group of experts evaluated a number of maternal, neonatal, and child health interventions for equity across wealth quintiles using data from 1990-2006. Immunization was found to have the narrowest differences in coverage of services between the poorest and wealthiest children (28% higher coverage in the highest wealth quintile compared to the lowest). By contrast, indicators of treatment coverage for children sick with diarrhea and pneumonia were nearly 60% higher in the highest wealth quintile compared to the poorest. This means that poor children are at a much greater disadvantage with respect to receiving treatment for pneumonia and diarrhea than they are for receiving vaccines to prevent these infections.
Pneumonia
Immunization improves health equity amongst poorer income groups
A group of experts evaluated a number of maternal, neonatal, and child health interventions for equity across wealth quintiles using data from 1990-2006. Immunization was found to have the narrowest differences in coverage of services between the poorest and wealthiest children. In other words, of the interventions evaluated, immunization was the most equitable across income groups.
Funding a national pneumonia vaccine program increased vaccine coverage among the elderly
A publicly funded 23vPPV (23 valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine) program in Victoria, Australia not only dramatically increased vaccination coverage among the elderly in the public purchase program, but in other Australian states and territories that did not have a public program, the number of prescriptions issued for 23vPPV actually increased over the same period.
Economic burdens of pneumonia can cause families to go into debt
A study in Bangladesh found that families are heavily borrowing or losing assets to be able to bear the cost of pneumonia in their children under 5 years of age.
Diarrhea and respiratory infections are associated with physical stunting in children
A large longitudinal study in the Philippines found that children suffering bouts of diarrhea and respiratory infections were at a significantly increased risk of physical stunting which is associated with “poor functional outcomes such as impaired cognitive development.”