Socio-economic implications of chronic pyogenic osteomyelitis in a developing community

Abstract

The social implications, and the magnitude of the economic burden caused by chronic osteomyelitis have been studied in relation to 56 patients encountered in the Teaching Hospital of the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, between November 1976 and December 1977. The disease may become a social stigma because of the unpleasant odour of the discharge from the sinuses. Amputation, which is sometimes the last resort in the treatment of this disease, was rejected by patients for whom it was suggested because of its socio-economic and socio-cultural problems. The major sources of financial loss to the patients, and/or to the health services, included prolonged use of expensive antibiotics, maintenance during the usual long hospitalization, the cost of surgical operations which often have to be repeated, expenses incurred in arranging for blood donors — since free and willing donors are now scarce in this society — and the transport fares to and from the hospital during the repeated visits for the necessarily prolonged period of follow-ups. Besides, there is a waste of valuable manpower time since patients invariably lose time from work or school.