Assessment of Treatment Cost, Patient Satisfaction and Quality of Life in the Cancer Patients Using Indian Traditional Medicine

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compute the treatment cost, patient satisfaction and quality of life among the cancer patients treated with complementary and alternative medicine. A cross sectional study was conducted between 2017 and 2019. The individual patient’s treatment cost, patient satisfaction and quality of life was assessed. In our study totally 379 patients were selected for the study. All required data was collected and recorded from patient's case sheet, investigation reports, interviewing patients and/ or patient care givers. Average total cost spent by the study population for the direct medical and direct non-medical costs were Rs 7790 (USD107). The direct medical cost for males and females were found be Rs. 1550 (21.23 USD) and Rs. 1475 (20.20 USD) respectively, for the direct medical expenses. Rs. 1962 (26.88 USD), Rs. 1968 (26.96 USD), Rs. 1850 (25.34 USD), Rs. 1898 (26.00 USD) and Rs. 1908 (26.14 USD) spent to treat brain, stomach, lungs, kidneys and liver cancers respectively. 89.18% and 10.82% of patients expressed that they were generally satisfied and not satisfied respectively. The mean score for physical, psychological, social, environmental and overall domains was 10.76, 10.33, 11.16, 13.75 and 9.99 for males.

The overall domains school level education respectively while for the college level educated populations were observed as 10.50, 10.04, 10.21, 11.30 and 9.24. The study findings conclude that the direct medical costs were high and the patients and care takers were satisfied with the CAM treatment. We recommend that continuous education and creating awareness on the CAM therapies could significantly enhances the patients the QoL.