The Gini coefficient as a useful measure of malaria inequality among populations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding inequality in infectious disease burden requires clear and unbiased indicators. The Gini coefficient, conventionally used as a macroeconomic descriptor of inequality, is potentially useful to quantify epidemiological heterogeneity. With a potential range from 0 (all populations equal) to 1 (populations having maximal differences), this coefficient is used here to show the extent and persistence of inequality of malaria infection burden at a wide variety of population levels.

Methods

First, the Gini coefficient was applied to quantify variation among World Health Organization world regions for malaria and other major global health problems. Malaria heterogeneity was then measured among countries within the geographical sub-region where burden is great

SUBMITTER: Abeles J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7709295 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature