Table 2.
Summary of findings of meta-analyses of the association between specific house features and malaria
| Comparison | Outcome | Study design | Total studies | Effect estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (95 % CI) | ||||
| 1 Modern versus traditional housing | 1.1 Malaria infection | 1.1.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 9 | 0.46 [0.33, 0.62] |
| 1.1.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 5 | 0.53 [0.42, 0.67] | ||
| 1.2 Clinical malaria | 1.2.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 1 | 0.32 [0.19, 0.54] | |
| 1.2.2 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.35 [0.20, 0.62] | ||
| 1.2.3 Cohort studies (crude RR) | 3 | 0.22 [0.14, 0.35] | ||
| 1.2.4 Cohort studies (adjusted RR) | 3 | 0.55 [0.36, 0.84] | ||
| 2 Screening1 | 2.1 Anaemia in children aged 0–11 years | 2.1.1 Randomized controlled trials (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.52 [0.34, 0.80] |
| 2.1.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 2 | 0.65 [0.33, 1.30] | ||
| 2.1.3 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.56 [0.24, 1.27] | ||
| 2.2 Malaria infection | 2.2.1 Randomized controlled trials (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.95 [0.63, 1.43] | |
| 2.2.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 5 | 0.35 [0.13, 0.98] | ||
| 2.2.3 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 2 | 0.93 [0.82, 1.05] | ||
| 2.3 Clinical malaria | 2.3.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 1 | 1.16 [0.82, 1.64] | |
| 2.3.2 Cohort studies (crude RR) | 5 | 0.71 [0.49, 1.04] | ||
| 2.3.3 Cohort studies (adjusted RR) | 3 | 0.56 [0.46, 0.67] | ||
| 3 Main wall material2 | 3.1 Anaemia in children aged 0–11 years | 3.1.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 1 | 0.58 [0.33, 1.02] |
| 3.1.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.57 [0.29, 1.12] | ||
| 3.2 Malaria infection | 3.2.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 12 | 0.57 [0.42, 0.78] | |
| 3.2.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 7 | 0.73 [0.62, 0.85] | ||
| 3.3 Clinical malaria | 3.3.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 7 | 0.63 [0.43, 0.93] | |
| 3.3.2 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.16 [0.06, 0.44] | ||
| 3.3.3 Cohort studies (crude RR) | 1 | 2.07 [1.18, 3.63] | ||
| 3.3.4 Cohort studies (adjusted RR) | 2 | 1.05 [0.48, 2.30] | ||
| 4 Main roof material2 | 4.1 Anaemia in children aged 0–11 years | 4.1.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 1 | 0.71 [0.45, 1.12] |
| 4.2 Malaria infection | 4.2.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 9 | 0.64 [0.48, 0.86] | |
| 4.2.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 6 | 0.83 [0.64, 1.08] | ||
| 4.3 Clinical malaria | 4.3.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 4 | 0.86 [0.48, 1.53] | |
| 4.3.2 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.30 [0.13, 0.66] | ||
| 4.3.3 Cohort studies (crude RR) | 2 | 0.59 [0.52, 0.67] | ||
| 4.3.4 Cohort studies (adjusted RR) | 3 | 0.79 [0.70, 0.88] | ||
| 5 Main floor material2 | 5.1 Anaemia in children aged 0–11 years | 5.1.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 1 | 0.78 [0.45, 1.34] |
| 5.2 Malaria infection | 5.2.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 1 | 1.20 [0.69, 2.09] | |
| 5.2.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 2 | 0.74 [0.57, 0.96] | ||
| 5.3 Clinical malaria | 5.3.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 1 | 0.19 [0.06, 0.57] | |
| 5.3.2 Cohort studies (adjusted RR) | 1 | 0.81 [0.62, 1.06] | ||
| 6 Eaves3 | 6.1 Malaria infection | 6.1.1 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (crude OR) | 4 | 0.70 [0.58, 0.84] |
| 6.1.2 Case–control, cross-sectional and cohort studies (adjusted OR) | 3 | 0.78 [0.70, 0.87] | ||
| 6.2 Clinical malaria | 6.2.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 5 | 0.76 [0.55, 1.07] | |
| 6.2.2 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.53 [0.36, 0.80] | ||
| 6.2.3 Cohort studies (crude RR) | 1 | 0.75 [0.50, 1.12] | ||
| 6.2.4 Cohort studies (adjusted RR) | 2 | 0.71 [0.46, 1.11] | ||
| 7 Ceiling4 | 7.1 Clinical malaria | 7.1.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 3 | 0.68 [0.56, 0.83] |
| 7.1.2 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (adjusted OR) | 1 | 0.65 [0.46, 0.93] | ||
| 8 Elevation5 | 8.1 Malaria infection | 8.1.1 Case–control and cross-sectional studies (crude OR) | 1 | 1.00 [1.00, 1.00] |
1Screened versus unscreened; 2 Modern versus traditional main wall, roof and floor material: traditional homes were considered to have mud walls, a thatched roof and earth floors in sub-Saharan Africa (except in areas of high rainfall including Equatorial Guinea, where the basic wall material is typically concrete or wood [18]); mud or stone walls, a thatched, wood or mud roof and earth floors in North Africa; wood or bamboo walls, a thatched roof and wooden (stilted) floors in Southeast Asia; mud or wood walls, a thatched roof and earth or wooden (stilted) floors in South Asia; adobe or mud and wood walls, a thatched roof and earth floors in South America. 3 Closed versus open eaves; 4 Presence versus absence of a ceiling; 5 Elevated versus non-elevated houses