A multi-country, prospective cohort study to evaluate the economic implications of relapse among children recovered from severe acute malnutrition: a study protocol

BACKGROUND: Community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) is an effective intervention at recovering children from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and preventing mortality. However, there is growing evidence that for many children recovery is not sustained post-discharge. This study will assess the economic implications of relapse by calculating the average cost of treating a case of SAM that relapses after initial CMAM treatment compared to the cost of a case that remains recovered for 6 months post-discharge. METHODS: This protocol outlines the methods for a cost-efficiency analysis to assess cost per episode of treatment for acute malnutrition for children enrolled in CMAM programs for initial SAM treatment in Mali, Somalia and South Sudan. Cost data will be collected and analyzed on a monthly basis for each CMAM service component (outpatient treatment program for SAM, supplementary feeding program for moderate acute malnutrition, and inpatient stabilization care for SAM with medical complications). Financial data will be extracted from expenditure records from institutional accounting systems where possible. Where these are not present, cost data will be collected via interview and review of financial documents. Staff time allocation interviews will be conducted. This data will be applied to quantify personnel costs, to apportion costs that are shared between programs and to exclude staff time spent on research activities. DISCUSSION: This study will provide the first estimates to address the limited evidence on the economic implications of SAM relapse in CMAM programs. Data from this economic analysis will help raise awareness and provide actionable data for the global nutrition community to address the financial burden of relapse. Estimating the cost of relapse in three countries representing different geographic and operational contexts will help in generalizing these results. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration # IORG0007116, Date of registration: 06/09/2020. This study is not registered as a clinical trial as it is observational research and does not include an intervention. The study has received the required ethical approvals as outlined in the declarations. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40795-022-00631-7.