Abstract
The home-based care programme in Botswana was initiated partly to augment hospital or clinical care by reducing the healthcare costs associated with chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS. A number of studies have pointed to the psyco-social impacts of home based care, however there has been few attempts to quantify the direct and indirect costs associated with home based care. This study was carried out in the North West District of Botswana, which is noted for a relatively larger proportion of households with critically ill persons. The objectives of the study were to identify the characteristics of the caregivers and their patients; to estimate the direct and indirect costs of home-based care; and to estimate caregivers' willingness to pay for care services. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire addressed to 120 primary caregivers and analyzed using SPSS. The economic cost of caregiving was estimated using the replacement cost method. The annual value per caregiver was estimated at P31 320 (US$4818.46). The study also revealed that more often than not, women are involved in caregiving activities.
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