title: Effectiveness and cost analysis of community-based rehabilitation service in Bangkok.
abstract: This paper aimed to clarify the effectiveness and the cost of the community-based rehabilitation service in Klong Toey slum after a three year study period. One hundred and seventy eight patients used community-based rehabilitation during the three year period. One hundred and fifty-seven patients (86.5%) reported that their problems/conditions were cured or improved. Only nine patients (5.1%) reported that they stopped using community-based rehabilitation because their problems/conditions did not improve. A statistically significant improvement in pain level and walking velocity assessment, in 105 and 78 patients respectively, was demonstrated. Total cost and cost per patient-day of the community-based rehabilitation were Bt 559,920 and Bt 111.1 respectively. Cost per-patient-day of this community-based rehabilitation service was compared with an estimated cost per patient-day of using rehabilitation services at Chulalongkorn University Hospital and was found to be cheaper. This study supported the role of community-based rehabilitation in Thailand. The need for a health service study in rural areas was also noted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jitapunkul
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bunnag
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebrahim
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000191:economics*; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000191:economics; D013785:Thailand