Direct Dollar Costs and Savings of Screening Stool Examinations for Eggs and Parasites in Adult Southeast Asian Refugees

Abstract

Routine stool examinations for eggs and parasites have been recommended for Southeast Asian refugees seeking medical care for any reason. Calculations show that the direct dollar cost of diagnosis and treatment of pathogenic intestinal parasites in asymptomatic adults exceeds the direct dollar cost of disease prevented. However, it is also recognized that a more definitive analysis would require presently unavailable data on morbidity and trans-mission rates in untreated parasitized adults. Final decisions on screening benefits should consider, but not be limited to, direct dollar cost considerations.