Human and indirect costs of home care

Abstract

T his art icle explores what is known about th e human and indirect costs of home care for cancer pat ients. This exploration is being done to formulate questions related to the measurement of indirect and hidd en costs and the effect of these costs on patients and caregivers. The human costs are the psychosocial, physical, and health burdens borne by the patient, the caregiver, and the family when home care is used or after the situation has been resolved. I, 2 The indirect costs are financial expenses associated with providing care at home that are not usually calculated in determining costs of medical care or insurance reimbursement.f Indirect and human costs, then, are paid out of pocket, not reimbursed by insurance, or are related to psychologic morbidity, they include transportation ,medications, respite services, health of the caregiver, famil y stability, psychic burd en, impact on the development of children, and demands on the sandwich generation. The type and source of care required directly influence the direct costs and the indirect costs to the patient, caregiver, and society.