Publication:

Assessment of social and economic impact of healthcare with homoeopathy for haemophilia in cognizance with patients’ perspective: a cross-sectional survey

Background Haemophilia imposes clinical as well as an economical burden on family and society. To assess the social and economic impact of healthcare in haemophilia from patients’ perspective a questionnaire was formed. Out of 900 patients treated at homoeopathy in haemophilia centers, 478 patients participated in the survey in the time period of January 2017 to June 2017. This questionnaire consisted of five categories. Part A included preliminary information, part B included the disease information, part C included direct cost incurred in terms of factor therapy, and part D included indirect cost incurred whereas part E included additional information regarding therapy satisfaction.

Methods It was a cross-sectional survey-based study. Simple random sampling was used for sample collection at the multicentres of homoeopathy in haemophilia. Study duration was 5 months. Selection criteria was patients diagnosed with haemophilia and patients willing to participate in the survey. Ethical approval was received from Institutional Ethics Committee of Motiwala (National) Homoeopathic Medical College, Nasik, Maharashtra, India. Average was calculated to summarize the data, mentioned in discussion.

Results 56% haemophilia patients benefitted with homoeopathy treatment with SOS use of factor, 28% patients experienced homoeopathy is beneficial therapy and 16% patients experienced conservative management. 95.6% patients experienced satisfaction with treatment. 95.2% patient said homoeopathy is most economic therapy, 1.3% patient said it is a conservative management and 3.6% did not acknowledge anything.

Conclusions According to patients’ perspective, homoeopathic therapy was found to reduce the cost of care and burden of high-cost management.