Costs of informal care for patients in advanced home care : a population based study

• Objectives: Several studies have sought to analyze the cost-effectiveness of advanced home care andhome rehabilitation. However, the costs of informal care are rarely included in economic appraisals ofhome care. This study estimates the cost of informal care for patients treated in advanced home careand analyses some patient characteristics that influence informal care costs.Methods: During one week in October 1995, data were collected on all 451 patients in advanced homecare in the Swedish county of O¨ stergo¨ tland. Costs were calculated by using two models: one includingleisure time, and one excluding leisure time. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze factorsassociated with costs of informal care.Results: Seventy percent of the patients in the study had informal care around the clock during theweek investigated. The patients had, on average, five formal care visits per week, each of which lastedfor almost half an hour. Thus, the cost of informal care constituted a considerable part of the costof advanced home care. When the cost of leisure time was included, the cost of informal care wasestimated at SEK 5,880 per week per patient, or twice as high as total formal caregiver costs. Whenleisure time was excluded, the cost of informal care was estimated at SEK 3,410 per week per patient,which is still 1.2 times higher than formal caregiver costs (estimated at SEK 2,810 per week per patient).Informal care costs were higher among patients who were men, who were younger, who had their ownhousing, and who were diagnosed with cancer.Conclusions: Studies of advanced home care that exclude the cost of informal care substantiallyunderestimate the costs to society, regardless of whether or not the leisure time of the caregiver isincluded in the calculations.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Statsvetenskap -- Studier av offentlig förvaltning (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Political Science -- Public Administration Studies (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Informal care

Advanced home care

Home rehabilitation

Cost

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)